Good Luck Flag

[Hal]

Don't think I've showed this before, it was tucked in the flap of the holster. Thought you'd like to have a look. Thanks, Hal

[ghp95134]

I think I got all of them; and, I think he is from Hokkaido [Chitose]. At least that's the only Chitose I know of. Also, I think the recipient was a member of the Reservist Association because one remark is "我等之代表" [our representative]

From the right margin moving clockwise:
祝壮途
Celebrating your Ambitious Undertaking

杉森武夫君
Sugimori Takeo-kun
Mr. Sugimori, Takeo

贈千歳村在郷軍人分會第壱班
Zō Chitose-mura Zaigo Gunjin Bunkai Dai Ichi Han
Presented by: Chitose Village Veterans Branch Group 1

• Lots of people mistranslate Zaigo Gunjin Kai as "Time Expired Soldiers Association", but actually it is more-or-less "Veterans & Reservists Association."

男児玉碎
Danji Gyokusai
Men's Honorable Death
Gyokusai = "Banzai charge"

一生報國
Issei Hōkoku
One Life Dedicated to the Nation
Variation of 七生報國 Shichisei Hōkoku. Seven Lives Dedicated to the Nation

國の為
Kuni no Tame
For the sake of the country

大和心
Yamato Kokoro
Heart/mind/soul of Japan

誠心 Seishin. Sincere heart/mind; Sincerety

奉公
Hōkō
Public Duty

正義徹底
Seigi Tettei
Thorough Enforcement of Righteousness

日本男児比々に在り
Nippon Danji Hihi ni Ari
There are many Japanese MEN

百折不撓
Hyakusetsu Futō
A Hundred Folds Without Bending
indefatigability; indomitableness

忍
Shinobu
Perseverance

義勇奉公 Giyū Hōkō. Serving with Utmost Loyalty and Courage

忠勇
Chūyū
Loyalty & Bravery

千歳健光
Chitose Kenkō
Chitose Healthy Sunlight

同志之士
Dōshi no Shi
Like-minded Warriors

正義
Seigi
Righteousness; Justice

我等之代表奮[闘頑]張れ
Ware no Hyotai Fun/Cho
Our representative, do your best
I'm not sure about the words in brackets .... I think they are missing but implied??? I cannot find anything for 奮張 ... other than in Chinese.

Cheers,
-- Guy

[Akira Komiya]

Guy-san: I believe “奮張れ” is intended as the imperative mode of the verb form of “奮張” which apparently means to expand one’s fortune;
奮張(ふんちよう)とは？ 意味や使い方 - コトバンク (I must confess I didn’t even know such a word existed in the Japanese vocabulary until now.)
If pronounced “funbare” it would also be a pun of “踏ん張れ”- persevere, which would be an appropriate message of encouragement in situations like this.

[ghp95134]

Thanks Akira-san!!! Takako just read your response and said she also was unaware of the word! And she understood the pun that you mentioned.

Thank you for your valued help.

-- Guy

[Akira Komiya]

Guy-san:

The on-line dictionary, the link to which I attached in my previous post, was the only reference to the word "奮張" I could find and the word is not in regular printed dictionaries either. It was either an incredibly highly educated person who wrote the message or he simply misspelled the word "funbare" intending it to be “踏ん張れ”.

Kindest regards,

Akira

[Hal]

Thanks Guy, appreciate your time to research all that information. Great job!... Thanks, Hal