Original Item: Only One Available. This is an example of a Japanese WWII Yosegaki Hinomaru, commonly known among collectors as a Japanese “Good Luck Flag.” The flag displays the familiar red Hinomaru sun disc on a white field, surrounded by numerous handwritten Japanese inscriptions and signatures in black ink.

Yosegaki Hinomaru were personal presentation pieces rather than military unit flags. Before a serviceman departed for military service, family members and friends would gather to inscribe a Japanese national flag with their names, messages, and wishes for his safe return and good fortune. The finished flag could then be folded and carried by the recipient during his service. Surviving wartime examples therefore represent unusually personal artifacts, preserving the actual handwriting of the people connected with the individual serviceman.

This example is particularly appealing for the large number and variety of inscriptions covering the white field. The writing radiates outward around the central red sun and is executed in numerous individual hands, ranging from heavier brush-like characters to finer and more lightly applied writing. The variation in handwriting and ink gives the flag considerable character and illustrates the communal nature of these presentation flags.

Condition is good overall for a wartime textile of this type, with the fabric showing expected age toning. There is scattered brown staining and general discoloration throughout. The perimeter remains largely intact with only modest wear. Importantly, the red Hinomaru and the extensive group of handwritten inscriptions remain clearly visible, giving the flag strong visual character when displayed.