Japanese Flag Translation

[Tschuman01]

Hello, I am hoping someone here can assist me in translating a Japanese "Hinomaru Yosegaki" (Good Luck Flag)

I have posted a number of pics here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/schumata/sets/72157634970661513/

I can post more if needed.

I am also seeking advice on framing.

Many thanks in advance.

[Tschuman01]

Apologies. The correct link is : http://www.flickr.com/photos/schumat...7634970661513/

[ghp95134]

Authentic yosegaki flag with too many names to copy.

Main slogan:
祈武連長久
Buun (Fortunes of war) Choukyuu (Forever/perpetually) usually translated as "Eternal Good Fortune in Battle"

to:
志波 正敏 君
Shiba Masatoshi-kun

All the rest are signatures.

--Guy

[Edit: Family name 志波 is mostly read as Shinami]

[Tschuman01]

Thanks. I was previously told the flag came from Iwo Jima. The name I was given was Shinami Kinitoshi from the
26th tank regiment. From the flag they derived that he came from the Kyushu area of Japan in the Region between Saga and Fukuoka. Some of that info came from a person online that was extremely angry that I possessed the flag, but then they gave me some translation help ( very strange) . I think they felt guilty for cursing me out. I wanted a more level headed second opinion.

[ghp95134]

Tschuman01,

I originally did an online search for 志波 and found "shiba"; just now, I found "Shiwa" (as in Shiwa castle: Shiwa-jou). And, I just googled the romaji "Shinami" and you are correct! 志波 is Shinami.

Japanese is such a challenging language. Family names are usually okay -- normally it's the given names that pose real challenges. To make matters more confusing, each individual kanji can be read a minimum -- MINIMUM -- of two different pronunciations!!

As to the given name Kinitoshi .... I think 正 is generally rendered as "Masa" in a name. Lemme check.

NOPE ... not a single hit for "正敏 kinitoshi", but thousands for "正敏 Masatoshi".

Again, it's Japanese .... so automatically an enigma.

--Guy

[Tschuman01]

Thank you! I really appreciate your help!! :-)

[maximus71]

Why do people get angry if a historian or collector owns a flag like this but its ok if its in a museum?...whoever got mad at you for owning this needs to look online and see there about 500 of them for sale right now.

[ghp95134]

Why do people get angry if a historian or collector owns a flag like this but its ok if its in a museum?...whoever got mad at you for owning this needs to look online and see there about 500 of them for sale right now.

It could have been the relative of a Japanese soldier who died on Iwo (or a relative of Shinami)? Or, perhaps someone who lost the bid? Other than these two possibilities, I also find it strange that someone would be angry over its possession.

--Guy

[Wagriff]

He actually Cursed at you?? Whatever for? Weird people are Everywhere, I guess....

[Tschuman01]

I believe this gentleman was from Japan and he seemed to feel that all of these should be sent back to Japan. Among many other things, he said I was a horrible person for owning it, that it was bad luck to own it and that bad things would happen to me because I possessed it (angry spirits, etc). The message was much longer and more rambling, but I think you get the gist of it. What was really odd was that after 8 hours he came back, griped some more, gave me a partial translation, and then told me "peace and love".

I do think it is a noble gesture that some people return these, but I don't think there is a moral obligation to do so. You could say it is "horrible" that I own this, but as a famous general once said, "War is cruelty and you cannot refine it". If a country starts a war and eventually loses, it should accept that there will be some "spolia opima" floating around in a foreign land.

At this point, it’s just an artifact. An extremely fragile artifact from a violent conflict. My father in law has a revolutionary war era hat with a bullet hole in it. We aren't trying to track down the owners of that, and I don't think there is any obligation to do so.