Comfort Bag

[MichaelB]

Comfort Bags may have contained a variety of items: foot powder, skin balm, pencils, envelopes and paper for writing home, toothbrushes, cigarettes, and soap. The particular brand of soap seen here is from the Mitsuwa Soap Co., a company that continues to make soap today. This particular brand of soap was known at the time as "toilet soap". Interestingly, Mitsuwa was purchased years ago by the Proctor and Gamble Co. P & G had long imported its Camay soap to Japan, which considered it a Western luxury brand. The company also imported Ivory Soap to Japan as well. Mitsuwa was bought by Proctor in order to make it easier to manufacture their soap in Japan. Western style health and beauty products were big sellers in Japan, particular to Japanese women. The profit margin in selling this style of soap was huge. Later, hygiene programs established by the government made soap part of a soldier's essentials as well. Another point of interest is that Mitsuwa (there is also a Mitsuwa grocery chain today), continues today to market and package some of their soaps using the old wartime style ads and packaging.
MichaelB

[ghp95134]

Oooooo .... Bagio. I knew some USAF aircrews who loved going to Bagio back in the 1970s!

バギオ佛教婦人会
Bagio Buddhist Women's Association


--Guy

[EDIT: .... Errrr .... this *IS* Bagio City, Philippines, right? I'm confused by the "Beppu Island Archipelagio" 北律濱群島 designation.]

[Rod]

I'm enjoying this thread a lot, some great contributions guys.

A couple of different bukuro shown beside a hokobukuro for comparison. In the middle are two kihochinbukuro (valuables bags). On the right is a rubberized wash/toiletries bag.
The stringless valuables bag has a faint unit code number on it; 15375, which is the 48th Airfield Company of the 4th Air Division, the soldiers name was Tamo Takahashi. (From Unit small histories JACAR) The unit was 209 men organized in Yokkaichi, Japan by February 27, 1944 and departed the country May 1st. It arrived nn Cebu P.I. via Manila and Negros June 1st. There's more but that's where it arrived before being acquired by a G.I.



Heicho (Leading Private) Takeshi Yamauchi's hokbukuro with some war time contents including his address book, a blood test (O) and pages torn from his guntai techo (service notebook; I have no idea why someone would do such a thing). He was in the 9th Company 6th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division



A couple of shots for Tom and anyone else interested in Takeshi-san's service record.




Rod

[MAP]

Never seen those little bags Rod. Thanks for showing.

[MichaelB]

Guy-
Thank you for the preliminary help in the translation of the bag. According to Wiki, Beppu is a City in Oita Prefecture on the Island of Kyushu, Japan. It is well known for its hot mineral springs/baths and attracts over 12 million visitors each year. Population is about 122,000. Not sure if this is the place you were referring. I forgot to mention when posting that this bag shows a field-type of repair in the upper corner. You can see the typical stitching using heavy white thread that was often used for such fixes.

Rod-
Thank you for posting your bags with paperwork. I have to say that I enjoyed seeing the research that you did on your soldier. I'm sure that Tom probably has some further comments on that as well.

MichaelB

[tomp]

Oooooo .... Bagio. I knew some USAF aircrews who loved going to Bagio back in the 1970s!


[EDIT: .... Errrr .... this *IS* Bagio City, Philippines, right? I'm confused by the "Beppu Island Archipelagio" 北律濱群島 designation.]

I don't believe that the first kanji is 北 but rather 比, which was used to ID the Philippines.

I would be very interested in hearing what the third kanji is below the postal kanji, and above 220. I am not familiar with that as a stand alone kanji.


Tom

[ghp95134]

I don't believe that the first kanji is 北 but rather 比, which was used to ID the Philippines.

I would be very interested in hearing what the third kanji is below the postal kanji, and above 220. I am not familiar with that as a stand alone kanji.

Thanks Tom,

When I insert the CORRECT kanji, I come up with "Philippines". It's amazing what one wrong kanji can do to someone's ego!!! (^_^)
比律濱 is ateji for "Philippines"
フィリピン(P); フイリピン 《比律賓(ateji)》 (n) (uk) Philippines;

That third kanji is hako/kan

凾
Box


Cheers!
--Guy

[ghp95134]

Guy-
Thank you for the preliminary help in the translation of the bag. According to Wiki, Beppu is a City in Oita Prefecture ....

MichaelB,

Tom has corrected me! With the correct kanji, the address is definitely the PI. Sorry for sending you off on the wrong track.

--Guy

[tomp]

That third kanji is hako/kan

凾
Box


Cheers!
--Guy

Thanks!

Tom

[MichaelB]

Thank you Guy and Tom for the effort as well. No problem, Guy with the Beppu reference; interesting nevertheless.
MichaelB