Comfort Bag

[Nick Komiya]

The "plain Jane" bag that Mike showed was actually the official type recommended by the army. Army instructions say that a tenugui towel should be folded in two and sewn into a bag for the purpose. But I suppose a lot of people preferred the easier solution of buying a commercial product that also looked more attractive.

I read that this practise started during the Boxer incident of 1900, but it obviously became a big program during the Siberian Intervention of 1918-1922 as the archive is full of files on the subject from that time.

Soldiers were expected to thank the sender, but there was an interesting memo from the Taisho era that one soldier wrote back to thank some housewife in a harassing and indecent manner, thus earning a protest to the army from the woman's husband. The army was afraid of such poor behaviour tarnishing its image and the memo seemed to be proposing some kind of censorship.

[ghp95134]

...Soldiers were expected to thank the sender, but there was an interesting memo from the Taisho era that one soldier wrote back to thank some housewife in a harassing and indecent manner, thus earning a protest to the army from the woman's husband. The army was afraid of such poor behaviour tarnishing its image and the memo seemed to be proposing some kind of censorship.

Yeah, I can imagine what he could have written. There is always that "GI" (regardless of country) who is the 10% of any unit. We commanders/leaders spend 90% of our time on that 10%.


--Guy

[Nick Komiya]

It appears that the Hoko Bukuro Service Bags were not actually meant for use during active service, but rather to keep things together at home during one's reserve status, to be ready for call up. This is according to memos from 1919. Before, the bags seem to have been issued at the time of discharge, but from 1919 they were given out already during active service to train soldiers in the use of these bags. However, even in that case, it was recommended for the company to store the bags for the soldiers, so they remain in good condition for use after discharge. In those days the bags were khaki colored.

[Jareth]

Here are my navy. The small bag is the only one I've ever seen

[Geoff Ward]

Nice ones Jareth! Regards,Geoff

[Rod]

I haven't seen navy hoko bukuro before, thanks for showing them Jareth. Great to see.

The kanji on the small bag are the same as on army examples, so a valuables bag. From the short drawstring I guess they weren't meant to be worn around the neck as army ones presumably were.

Rod

[Nick Komiya]

The navy version of the Houko Bukuro is called Oushou Bukuro, meaning "bag for responding to call up", making its purpose even clearer as a readiness bag for reserve personnel.

[MichaelB]

To Nick's post #33, that would seem to make sense based upon the photographic evidence that I have seen. I have a number of photos (if I come across them during unpacking, I will post 1 or 2), that appear to show individual men, not groups responding to the army call (they are in army attire and appear to be readying to go off on the train or ship) with their Houko Bukuro wrapped around their wrists. Most of the photos I collected because these fellows also have good luck flags wrapped across their chests or are holding small nobori on poles along with flags. Some of the men exhibit time expired league badges, while others do not.

Jareth-
Thank you for posting the navy versions of these bags. That's a nice collection!

[Jareth]

Thanks guys!

[MAP]

To Nick's post #33, that would seem to make sense based upon the photographic evidence that I have seen. I have a number of photos (if I come across them during unpacking, I will post 1 or 2), that appear to show individual men, not groups responding to the army call (they are in army attire and appear to be readying to go off on the train or ship) with their Houko Bukuro wrapped around their wrists. Most of the photos I collected because these fellows also have good luck flags wrapped across their chests or are holding small nobori on poles along with flags. Some of the men exhibit time expired league badges, while others do not.

Would love to see those photos once you unpack them.

Very interesting thread. Should be a sticky...