Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Just purchased from a private collector, this is a very nice Japanese WWII  "Good Luck Flag". The flag came to us with a complete listed of  translations, which were performed by an expert at the request of the previous owner. The flag measures approximately 29" x 42", and is made silk cloth, with the red "sun" dyed into the center. The flag really is in great shape, with little to no deterioration of the silk, nice corner reinforcements, and intact hanging ties. It does have some light staining, but virtually every flag we have seen does.

This is the real deal, a genuine USGI bring back! The most notable aspect of the flag is that it has been TRANSLATED. The owner's name was Mr. Tadashi Nakamura, who based on the translations probably lived in the Nagano area near Tokyo. The full list we were provided is listed below:

- Congratulations on your ambitious undertaking Mr. Tadashi Nakamura
- Loyalty and Valor
- Nagano Prefecture, village mayor, Masaaki Suzuki
- Go 10,000 miles and return home
- Afterwards continue publishing = he probably was in some profession that involved writing before going to war
- Be resolute
- Be sincere
- Annihilate them
- Give yourself unstintingly
- When you see the enemy, annihilate him with certainty
- Good luck
- Do your best
- Be bold
- Certain Death
- Banzai
- Be decisive
- Eternal Battlefield

Two in particular have a much deeper meaning that requires some background:

- Jimmu =  Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇, Jinmu-tennō) was the first Emperor of Japan according to legend. In Japanese mythology, he was a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu, through her grandson Ninigi, as well as a descendant of the storm god Susanoo. He launched a military expedition from Hyuga near the Seto Inland Sea, captured Yamato, and established this as his center of power. He won many legendary victories so this is an exhortation to be like him.

- Seven Lives : this is an allusion to Kusunoki Masashige (楠木 正成, 1294 – July 4, 1336) . He was 14th-century samurai who fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in the Genkō War, the attempt to take rulership of Japan away from the Kamakura shogunate, and is remembered as the ideal of samurai loyalty.  During this conflict, Kusunoki, his army completely surrounded, was down to only 50 of the original 700 horsemen. According to legend, his brother Masasue's last words were Shichishō Hōkoku! (七生報國: "Would that I had seven lives to give for my country!") and Kusunoki Masashige agreed.

This flag would make a great addition to any pacific war collection, an is the perfect size for a glass table. Ready to display!

The Good Luck Flag, known as hinomaru yosegaki (日の丸 寄せ書き) in the Japanese language, was a traditional gift for Japanese servicemen deployed during the military campaigns of the Empire of Japan, though most notably during World War II. The flag given to a soldier was a national flag signed by friends and family, often with short messages wishing the soldier victory, safety, and good luck.

The Japanese call their country's flag hinomaru, which translates literally to "sun-round", referencing the red circle on a white field. When the hinomaru was signed, the Japanese characters were usually written vertically, and radiated outward from the edge of the red circle. This practice is referenced in the second term, yosegaki, meaning "sideways-writing". The phrase hinomaru-yosegaki can be interpreted as "To write sideways around the red sun", describing the appearance of the signed flag. This particular example completely unique is written in old KANJI the writing are mainly Japanese names of this soldier's family and friends with quotes and phrases.