C. 1925 Japanese Postcard

Bunkerhill

Sempai

17 Aug 2016

133

34

• 1 Jul 2020

• #1

Hello all,
I recently picked up this postcard for my Japanese postcard collection. I enjoy the composition but wondered if someone might inform me as to what is written on the kite? I have enclosed a scan of the reverse with a printed caption as well.

 

Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

4,071

5,023

• 1 Jul 2020

• #2

忠誠＝Loyalty

This is a kite-flying scene from Hōshubana-mura, near the Edo river, I think. The postcard says this is supposed to be the biggest kite in Japan at 16 x 12 meters, weighing over 750 kilos with the ropes and everything included. Illustration is by TASHIRO Hikaru.

A quick search on wikipedia for Hōshubana-mura shows a modern-day version of the exact same kite-flying scene (different kite). The village is known for its kite festival.

 

Bunkerhill

Sempai

17 Aug 2016

133

34

• 1 Jul 2020

• Thread starter
• #3

Majestic - thank you! Really appreciate the help.

 

Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

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5,023

• 1 Jul 2020

• #4

Forgot to include the link

宝珠花村 - Wikipedia

ja.wikipedia.org

 

mdchachi

Moderator

Moderator

Twenty-year veteran

6 Mar 2003

9,318

9,447

• 2 Jul 2020

• #5

おほだこ？ Is that a typo?

 

Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

4,071

5,023

• 2 Jul 2020

• #6

I think its just the old method of transcribing 大.
Similar to the way 畫く is transcribed as ゑがく rather than えがく.
(Similar, but not exactly analagous, but I think you get the picture)

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

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4,926

• 2 Jul 2020

• #7

As Majestic-san wrote, the explanation is written in historical kana orthography. Other than おほだこ and ゑがく, the followings are different from the modern kana usage.

はうしゆばな <--> ほうしゅばな
につぽん <--> にっぽん
いはれ <--> いわれ
ひやく <--> ひゃく

Historical kana orthography - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org