Hello, need help with translation of flag

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Buickman58

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15 Aug 2021

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• 15 Aug 2021

• #1

Hello, I have a WW2 flag wanted to see if any information can be read from it. No history on it, seems to be damaged a little. Thanks for thoughts/help with it!

 

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Buickman58

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• 15 Aug 2021

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• #2

Here are a few closeups of the flag as well, was in an estate sale.

 

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Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

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5,023

• 15 Aug 2021

• #3

The most important bit is
本間先生 一年生一同
To Mr. Honma, from your First Year Students

Everything else is a patriotic phrase.

 

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Buickman58

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• 15 Aug 2021

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Thank you, for that. Do you think it would be possible to find a family from this, or is this too generic?

 

Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

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• 15 Aug 2021

• #5

I'm not sure its authentic, to tell the truth.
If it is authentic, it would be very difficult to find who Mr. Honma was/is. The name is fairly common, and there is nothing identifying the school or institution where he taught.

 

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Buickman58

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• 15 Aug 2021

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Thank you again for the help! If this is a true prayer flag, what would the Japanese religious way to handle it? I know this may get backlash, but would it be burned?

 

Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

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• 16 Aug 2021

• #7

There are no taboos that I know of regarding the handling of this kind of flag. The souls of soldiers aren't considered to "reside" in the flag.
You might consider sending it to the Obon society to see if they are interested in trying to locate the former owner's relatives.
This assumes the flag is genuine, obviously.
I understand the Japanese Government also has opened an office that seeks to repatriate these sorts of items from overseas.

Obon Society | Our Mission

OBON SOCIETY is a non-profit humanitarian effort dedicated to the pursuit of peace. We provide opportunities for reconciliation between families through the return of personal items taken during war.

obonsociety.org

Return of World War II Artifacts