Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This hand painted cloth flag is marked with quotes such as Prayers for Eternal Good Fortune in Battle, Military Valor, and Big Courage. The upper right side is marked with the Japanese phrase 久 長 運 武 祈, which reads Bu un Chou kyu Inoru ("A prayer that your military fortunes be long lasting.") This example comes with a page that translates the signatures and some of the other writing on the flag. The best signature reads:

My friend, remember as you go out to war, that someday you will be much older and look back with fond memories. There is life in death.

It is also signed with the names of many friends and family, radiating out from the center, and in various different styles of writing. The flag measures approximately 27½ x 39”, and is made of what appears to be made from light silk or possibly rayon, with the red "sun" dyed into the middle. It shows staining and overall age toning, and definitely doesn’t look like a flag that spent its life in a drawer. Overall the flag is lovely and is the real deal: a genuine USGI "bring back"! The flag does not retain its leather reinforcements. This flag would look best in a frame!

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.