Old Japanese Cap w/Badge

[MySonsDad]

Picked this Japanese cap up this weekend. Not really sure what it is and have not been able to identify the cap badge. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Russ

[Datrus]

I think it looks Chinese with that star. Not sure they used this in Japan. I'm not sure, but maybe that is why you could not identify the cap badge. To me it looks communist. I look at such a star every day here in Moscow When i look at this i think of lots of people killed by their own government. Strange they did not remove all this when Russia became "democratic"...

[MySonsDad]

Well that sure would explain it......... I'm not sure why I have been stuck on it being Japanese, I think I saw one plain star on search and got tunnel vision. I'll try doing a little looking around for a Chinese cap later on this evening.

Thanks for the input Datrus.

Russ

[Datrus]

[MySonsDad]

I'm still coming up empty. Anyone have any ideas?

[Wagriff]

It is an Imperial Japanese Great Japan Youth Party visor cap from the late 1930s. The (originally)green wool cap featured a "Great Japan Youth Party" metal star badge on the front. It is missing it's leather chinstrap and it's two gold side buttons embossed with cherry blossoms. William

Here is a link for abit more about it and what it should look like in better condition:
Imperial Japanese Great Japan Youth Party Visor Cap named to Ick Takagi

[MySonsDad]

William,

Thank you so much for the info, finally something that looks to be in the correct direction. I've been searching both Japanese and Chinese for the past week and come up empty.

Yes, I was aware that the chin strap and buttons were missing when I purchased knowing that I'd be pretty much out of luck finding replacements. I picked it up for only a few bucks and was more intruged as to finding out what it was than it's condition or value.

The example in the link you show bears some resemblance in the cap badge however, not much else. My cap is wool and Khaki in color, maybe just a variation of the Youth Party cap or maybe not related at all? ALso, I don't know if you noticed in the photos, but it looks as though it has had some field repairs made on the sweatband and visor, indicating to me that this cap received some heavy wear and the wearer was not in a position to simply obtain a new cap, something I would not suspect from a Youth Group. This is pure speculation on my part.

One thing for sure, the example you have provide does clearly indicate it is Japanese so I can quit searching for a Chinese example. With the help of forum members, I'll eventually identify this cap.

Thanks again for your input,

Russ

[António Fragoeiro]

Russ, that is a an awesome cap, i love it.
Japanese items are very hard to find.
Cheers.
Nuno

[Wagriff]

Russ, I was just taking a much closer look at comparing the 2 caps and aren't really catching what you're seeing as them being radically different from each other. One may well be a warmer weather cap and the other a cooler weather piece. About the main difference that I can see besides the material and it's fading, are the 2 vent holes on the sides not being present on yours. Otherwise, the linings are the same and the name tags inside are identical in shape,size,stitching and color. The leather visors are the same size,color and shape and have the identical stitching on the edges as do the bottom edges of the cap body itself being stitched in an identical manner. They both have black leather sweatbands and the angles of the visors are the same. Of course, the most telling bit are the faceted brass star badges with the Japan Youth Party symbol on them. They are both wool caps, of course, but yours has lost most of the knap/fuzz and is much more extremely heavily worn than the other. It has had, as you noted, several major repairs and was, apparently, worn for a very long time-for whatever reason the owner must have had for doing so. You have to try to envision it with it's original strap and buttons and you'll see the resemblance more.
In any case, I imagine that it is a fairly Scarce cap-even in it's present condition! You see many many Japanese army and navy caps, but this is the 1st of it's kind that I can say I've seen! Most any Japanese war-era head wear is tough to find and collectable, but the more obscure and unusual groups like yours must surely be more so! A nice find! Good luck collecting ! William

[MySonsDad]

William, Thanks once again for your detailed comparison, it is quite informative and very educational. As I've little experiance or knowlage of most of these types of items I fail to recognize many of the details and similarites the more experainced folks on this forum, such as yourself spot......and that's why I'm here, I learn new stuff every day.

Certainly, if the badge is that of the Youth Party then no argument can be made, my Japanese is a bit rusty these days and unless I come arcoss an identical example, I'm all but lost and have to depend on the expertice of others. Yes, now I see many of the similarities you make mention of and in fact, the big differance is, as you say, this is probably a summer cap vs a winder cap. I do not belive mine to be wool, it looks to be a cotton material. It's too bad it does not have the chin strap and buttons, I'm sure it would be quite the find if it did.

So, for now, it goes up on the shelf and now has an identification. Thank you kindly for your assistance.

Regards,

Russ