Japanese parade cap

[Squale69]

Hello,
Need some help identifying this Japanese parade cap...
What era ?
Imperial Army ? Cavalry ?
Thanks for the feedbacks !
P.A

[ghp95134]

I have no idea about the "kanji" on the badge -- it looks more like a spider to me!! The owner's surname is:

富田
Tomita

Imperial Guards wore red kepis .... but I have no idea about this. Perhaps a bandsman's hat for some civil group?????

-- Guy

[Nick Komiya]

I know that you bought it last month from a seller in Tochigi, but I actually doubt that it is even of Japanese origin, but rather a captured item from Southeast Asia. It is definitely not Japanese army. The police also had red-topped caps, but the star design on top was different. The seller also admitted not knowing what the cap emblem was for, but it is not Japanese kanji.

Shown below are specs for army dress caps for your reference.

[Nick Komiya]

Here's also Chinese dress cap specs

[Squale69]

Hello,

Thank you all for the feedbacks !
I can understand that it has nothing to do with japanese army but what is strange to me is that it has the Chrysanthemum chinstrap buttons...



What is used for other asian countries caps ?
P.A

[Nick Komiya]

You mean cherry blossom. That could also make it a Japanese civilian band cap, but I don't think you'll find any answer asking in militaria forums. The seller was also asking for information, but obviously no one in Japan could give him an answer.

[Squale69]

Could it have something to do with "Kenpeitai" Japanese military police ?

[Nick Komiya]

MPs also wore dress caps according to the specs I gave above, with only the top part in a reddish color. No military dress caps had any red and black mixed within the cap band, which should be all black (Kempei) or all red (Imperial Guards) and 55mm high. Early police had a red hatband with black top with a different star design.

As the item cannot be returned, you should have asked here before bidding on it. I'm surprised it fetched as much as $300, when it was clearly non-military. By the way, the MP dress cap you must have seen today is a repro, so be aware of that, please.

[Squale69]

Civilian or military cap is there a way to confirm the era ?

[Nick Komiya]

Unless you can identify the civilian organization that used that "dancing octopus?" cap emblem, there is no chance. Of course you can use a black light to check whether anything glows (post war), but I doubt anything would glow.

In postwar Japan, a militaristic band uniform would have been frowned upon, so my guess is pre-war, when copying the army's style was still not regarded as poor taste. A school band comes to mind, but that crazy emblem provides no further clues.

Asking further, here, is useless, but I will keep my eyes open for the octopus.