New to the world of Imperial Japanese Sake Cups and Bottles

**Lost Patrol** · 04-15-2016, 06:14 PM

I've recently started going into the area of Imperial Japanese sake cups and related items. (The eye-catching appeal and history behind such items basically made it impossible for me to ignore them any longer.

) Unlike other items that I've collected in the past (German, Soviet, US) translating Japanese characters is a difficult task for me, and I was wondering if anyone could aid in translating the inscriptions on some sake cups I have recently acquired.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

**Geoff Ward** · 04-16-2016, 04:31 AM

Hello Lost Patrol Welcome to the forum! Although I cannot be of much help in the translation department There will be someone along to help before too long.There is a lot of interesting info in the pinned topics at the top of the forum including how to read numbers and examples of many commonly seen patriotic phrases they will help if you take the time to refer back to them as you are able .You have some nice examples there! Enjoy! Regards,Geoff

**Nick Komiya** · 04-16-2016, 08:19 AM

The first cup commemorates the discharge of a soldier by the name of Sakamoto from the army, but the unit name is obscured by glare. The second cup is from the 10th Division along with a regiment designation, which is out of focus.
You need properly focused, closer photos without using a flash, if you want to know what's written.

**Lost Patrol** · 04-16-2016, 04:24 PM

Thank you both for your help. I will try again to get a better photo.

**Lost Patrol** · 04-16-2016, 10:11 PM

Here are some better images. Sake cup 1

**Lost Patrol** · 04-16-2016, 10:13 PM

And better images of the second cup.

**Nick Komiya** · 04-16-2016, 10:38 PM

OK, the first one is now clear. It is the 24th Infantry Regiment, and as they were also known as the Fukuoka Regiment for their home base location in the island of Kyushu, the Kanji, Fuku for Fukuoka is shown between the 2 and 4. The second cup's photo unfortunately places the crucial single kanji between shadow and light. It looks like a 9, but the 10th Division did not have the 9th Regiment as component, so it must be another number, but the photo does not help.