On wearing Japanese insignia

**rafaltomanski** · 10-26-2020, 06:58 PM

Hi all, can you help me identify any templates from military manuals where there are some graphics rules how to properly wear medals and badges? For examples the 3legged crow. Many thanks in advance.

**Nick Komiya** · 10-26-2020, 07:47 PM

I'll wait for your photos, as I'm in no mood for guessing games.

**rafaltomanski** · 10-26-2020, 07:54 PM

I don't have any items or photos. I'm interested in the official guidance for wearing the insignia. Do you have any or know where I can find them?

**rafaltomanski** · 10-28-2020, 09:38 AM

So, can I count on any answer please?

**Nick Komiya** · 10-28-2020, 10:45 AM

If you want to know about some insignia, it is upon you to clarify which specific insignia you want to know about. In order to do that, I need a photo at least or you need to supply the full official Japanese name of the insignia in Kanji. Based on your vague description, I can only say there are no 3-legged crow military badges, only one I know of is of a civilian nature for the left chest.

The crow on the China Incident War Medal did have 3 legs when it was initially presented for Cabinet approval, but the Bureau of Legal Affairs vetoed the 3rd leg, so the creature never made it into the military.

Civilian insignia cannot be found in any military manuals. If it is something issued by some civilian public entity, like an Association, the key is to get the official name of the association in Kanji. Then, you go into the archives and look for the regulation book for that organization. There you will find the insignia.

Here is a typical example of that type of research. Sorting out a Mess, Imperial Japan’s Reservist Badges

Good luck with your search. Or you might ask "Fukuoka", who also deals in a wide range of paramilitary badges, so he likely already has researched your subject, while my personal interest is strictly military, particular to the army. He helped you last time with the Yasukuni Enshrinement insignia along with me.

**rafaltomanski** · 10-28-2020, 11:15 AM

Ok, thank you. That thread clarifies a bit. I had in mind such illustration like those how to wear reservist badges. You have a sketch of a man uniform and places were to place the badge. I though that maybe such similar guidance exists for other kinds of badges and medals.
And by the yatagarasu I meant the badge Dai Nippon Military Antiques Japanese Three-Legged Crow Badge where do you place it on the uniform? The same as reservist badge?
How to combine it with bar of medals as well?
And maybe do you know why sometimes the curved medal bar was used instead of regular one where each one was next to each other not slightly on top of the next one?
Many thanks again.

**Nick Komiya** · 10-28-2020, 11:40 AM

That is the civilian badge I referred to, to be worn on the left chest. That was a membership badge to a support group that helped out families of military men. It was typically worn by contributors like industrialists, so not really subject to traffic congestion with other medals, etc that needed placement illustrations, etc.

Also, you will be told by a moderator that you need to post photos directly here and no links, which can later disappear and leave later readers clueless. Best to ask Rich directly, as you are familiar with his site already.

**Nick Komiya** · 10-28-2020, 11:08 PM

As the inquirer would not post any photos, I will have to put up photos for this thread not to become void of content in the future. Shown below is an example of the crow badge for Sponsoring members (there were 6 types of memberships with minor variations in badge design). The paper inside the lid tells one to wear the badge on the left chest when on official duty as an association member.

I think this crow design badge got introduced in 1938 when separate military family support organizations merged under one umbrella. Before that, membership badges used to be a medallion, featuring a six-pointed star, and hung from a bowed ribbon.