Japanese flag with a lot of Kanji... Is it from an aircraft?

[Nick Komiya]

I was primarily meaning the photo of the main flag. Taking a photo of the back side that was not even touched by the brush even when flipped does not provide proper clarity. Affiliation to a branch of service requires reading of the whole flag and a airplane stamp would not have anything to do with military aviation, but civilian commercial advertising.
If better photos are not forthcoming ,this is as far as I'd go, sorry.

[Geoff Ward]

Nathan,As far as smoothing the flag goes under NO circumstances wash or Iron the flag!!!!!!! It will help remove the wrinkles by simply draping the flag over a clean wooden dowel
or curtain rod or something similar in an area near the bathroom where humidity is more prevalent. NOT A STEAM BATH!! a few gentle shakes each day for a week or so will make a huge difference Do not tug at it just let gravity do its work.Too much moisture will cause the ink to bleed.Be patient,The best in the business will be here to help when some better photos give them what they need to see.Very nice flag! Hope this helps,Best Regards,G.

[BOB COLEMAN]

As Nick says, the flag is presented with the reverse side forward. You need to present it showing the other side as we are looking at all of the kanji backwards.

[Nathan362]

Well, since the flag is so terribly wrinkled and faded, even with a good camera I cannot get pictures that will get a second look. here is the best I can do.

[Nick Komiya]

Something is wrong with your camera or your lighting. The closeup is properly in focus, but no part of the overall flag is in focus, which has nothing to do with the wrinkles. Wrinkles are fine, but they need to be crisp and focused not an overall blur. Normally this happens when you don't have enough light (you don't have focus depth). Anyway, the only thing to say about the flag is that the guy joined the Army, not the Navy. Otherwise there are no clues what branch.
The stamp is too far gone to read, but at least it is not military writing. Guy's comment is a reasonable guess about the characters, but he was reading it backwards, so those were the endings not the start , and as endings I don't think his guess works. I will attach enhanced versions of the stamp in case someone can see what I can't.

[Nathan362]

Thank you Nick. I think I am getting in to much of a hurry trying to get pictures. I may wait and try to let the wrinkles settle, and get some better lighting and clearer shots at a later time. Thanks!

[ghp95134]

...Guy's comment is a reasonable guess about the characters, but he was reading it backwards, so those were the endings not the start , and as endings I don't think his guess works. ....

Nick,

I was reading it forward .... (^_*)

Numata 沼田, the first two kanji, were all I could read. Hoped you would be able to "suss" out the remainder due to context (e.g., Numata Air Factory, etc.).

MfG,
--Guy

[ghp95134]

Right side of meatball:
皇国
Kōkoku
Empire

Left margin:
祈必勝米英撃滅 -- 和南誠 --- 進
Ki Hisshō Bei-Ei Gekimetsu -- Wanami/Wannan Makoto Susumu
Pray for the victorious total destruction of America & England -- Wannan* Makoto --- Susumu

*The Wannan pronunciation has been identified as (1) a Buddhist greeting to superiors; (seemingly a transliteration from Sanskrit "Vandana" > wan-nan; (2) To represent the meaning of respect. To worship with hands clasped in prayer. Not certain if I'm going down a rabbit hole here ......

I'm not certain about the last 4 kanji which, to me, appear to be the name of the writer. It could be an art name "South Wind, Sincerity" [Minamikaze Makoto]; the "Susumu" puzzles me. It can be both a male given name, and also mean to "advance/make progress". Anyway, the meat of the writing is a cool "let's be victorious over our enemies" type of slogan.

I have no clue about the last four!!!


Cheers,
--Guy

Edit on 7/19/2016: 和南城 is the surname Wananjo. 和南城 進 Wananjo Susumu is the writer's full name. --GHP

[ghp95134]

Oops ..... made a stupid mistake and am trying to delete it before Nick reads it and laughs at me!!!




--Guy

[Nathan362]

Guy, thanks again for some interesting translation! I guess there is no readable date any where? Are there any specific areas that might be of interest for further close up shots at a later time?