Japanese flag for review 2 of 2

[Alex W]

Hello everyone,

Let me start by saying I have zero knowledge in this field. I recently picked up some items during a trip to Japan and would like opinions on whether this Japanese flag is a good hinomaru yosegaki. It measures about 33 by 25 inches, appears to be cotton one piece construction with the tabs cut off and smells old. It came in the bag which is also appears to be cotton which measures 6 1/2 by 13 inches with the strange plug looking thing. Any suggestions on straightening it out? I apologise for the photos, its raining and I'm struggling with light.

Thanks

Alex

[ghp95134]

Flag has the same "Continued Luck in the Fortunes of War" at the top. Bag is a "comfort bag"

慰問袋
Imon-bukuro
Comfort Bag

Name on the lower left corner:
増田明子
Masuda Akiko
[Akiko is a girl's name]

--Guy

[Alex W]

Thanks Guy, much appreciated. Would Masuda Akiko be the sender or receiver?

[ghp95134]

Thanks Guy, much appreciated. Would Masuda Akiko be the sender or receiver?

That space in which Akiko wrote her name is for the bag's owner. The first column is for an address, the second column for name.

I wonder if it could be a nurse? Did they receive comfort bags? Or, it could be that after the war, a soldier's daughter used the bag an put her name on it.


--Guy

[Nick Komiya]

Name on the bag is the sender. These bags contained gifts to the front, collected by the community and delivered to the front free of charge. Those who filled and donated the bag will put their name on them, and the soldier would write back in thanks, etc.

[Alex W]

Thanks Nick

Any thoughts on the plug thing?

[Alex W]

Better photo thanks to Nick's suggestion:

[Nick Komiya]

Much better. All the people signing were from some kind of "Promotion Association", but because of the internal nature of the presentation, they didn't have to write the full name of the group, so no idea what they were promoting. The plug is nothing I can recognize.

[MichaelB]

I like the design on the comfort bag; thanks for sharing that too. Often the bags contain associated items, but unless there is some sort of provenance or other clue as to ownership, you really can't say whether the flag and the bag belonged together. I know that sometimes sellers will collect various items and include them in or along with these bags in order to try and create the feeling of provenance. Usually there is no way of telling if there is a real connection. Comfort bags could have contained many different things including: postcards and pencils, small bandages, toothbrushes, small cans of foot powder, etc.
MichaelB

[Alex W]

Thanks for the info Nick and MichaelB.

Is there an owner's name on the flag?