Signed Japanese Good Luck flag
Context
This type of flag, known as a Yosegaki Hinomaru (寄せ書き日の丸), was traditionally presented to a Japanese soldier heading off to war. Friends, family, classmates, or military comrades would inscribe patriotic slogans, personal messages, and blessings for safety and victory. These flags were often carried into battle as talismans.
Based on the presence of the phrase “Waseda University Kendo Club” (早稲田大学剣道部), it is highly likely the recipient of this flag was a member of that club. His name does not appear on the flag, but the context suggests a pre-deployment gift from peers.
About the Yosegaki Hinomaru
The Yosegaki Hinomaru (寄せ書き日の丸) – “Good Luck Flag” – was a deeply personal and symbolic item presented to Japanese servicemen before their deployment, particularly during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) and World War II. The practice drew on earlier cultural traditions of writing messages on banners for spiritual support and collective encouragement.
Friends, family, neighbors, classmates, and coworkers would gather and inscribe handwritten messages, often patriotic or spiritual in nature, on a national flag. These inscriptions could include phrases such as “certain victory,” “loyalty until death,” or personal wishes for safety and honor. Religious blessings and Buddhist references were common.
Most soldiers would fold or roll the flag and carry it tucked inside their uniform as a senjafuda-like talisman. The flag served both as a morale booster and as a physical reminder of home, loyalty, and the emperor. In the final stages of the war, some soldiers carried them into kamikaze missions, making surviving examples rare and historically significant today.
Translations of Marked Sections
2. See the enemy, kill the enemy
3. Purity in service is the way
4. (from the) Kendo Club of Waseda University
5. Valor and fortune (in war)
6. Defend the empire
7. Certain victory
8. Loyalty even until death
9. Sink an enemy ship
10. Smash (the enemy)
11. Become a martyr for the empire, destroy the enemy
12. Victory is the only way
13. Patriotism, loyalty, sincerity, friendship
14. To live is hard, to die is easy, it is senseless to fear death
15. Think of offering your life in service to the nation
16. Decisive (expression meaning to never waver)
17. Certain victory
18. To endure all hardships and suffering
19. Have no regrets, do not desire to keep your life (a Buddhist expression)
20. We expect great results in battle (from you)
21. Beat down the Americans and British
22. Smash (the enemy)
23. We are the soldiers of the gods (holy warriors)
24. Do not hold the expectation to return home alive
25. Destroy the Americans and British
26. Patriotic service to the nation
27. Sending out prayers for strength for the cherry blossom (soldier)
28. Do your best, cherry blossom warrior
29. (Classical Chinese poem – translation not available)
30. Destroy the American devils
Historical Background: “Seven Lives for the Nation”
The phrase “Shichishō Hōkoku” (七生報国) – “Seven lives for the nation” – comes from Kusunoki Masashige, a loyalist daimyo who died in the Battle of Minatogawa on July 3, 1336. Knowing the mission was hopeless, he obeyed the Emperor’s direct command and led his men into death. Before the battle, he reportedly said:
“If I had seven lives, I would give them all to defend the Emperor.”
This expression became a military motto in Imperial Japan, symbolizing unwavering loyalty. His legacy is revered, and a statue of Masashige still stands outside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
As historian Dan King noted, this episode was seen as the Japanese version of the Battle of the Alamo – a noble last stand in service of a higher cause.
Translation by
Dan King – noted expert on Japanese WWII flags and calligraphy.
Sources and References
- Personal translation by Dan King (2024)
- Historical context from Kusunoki Masashige: The True Samurai (secondary sources)
- Flag images courtesy of private collection
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