Help Flag translation request

[Mikemike88]

Hi
I recently acquired this flag at an auction in the UK. I tried to find out about any known history of the flag from the vendor, via the auction house, but no response was forthcoming from the vendor.
I am seeking assistance with translation of the flag please. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Majestic]

Hello,
The flag is full of patriotic slogans, some with signatures placed after them. One of the slogans also has a date next to it: Shōwa 19 (1944), June 6th. The intended recipient would probably be the largish name on the right side of the flag, which I think is 幸田光造 (Yukita Mitsuzō - other pronunciations are also possible). Another slogan has the name of a location next to it: Chikuzen Haki-machi, Soto Sōzu (筑前杷木町寒水), which is near the middle of the southernmost island of Kyushu .

So there are a few interesting things with the flag: Names, location, date, and its kind of unusual to see a handful of people, each signing with a slogan. At first I thought the flag was trying too hard to be a wartime artifact (i.e. someone really worked hard to create a believable fake). But now I've changed my mind and I think its probably the best WW2 flag we've seen in a while.

Caveat: I am not a native speaker/writer of Japanese, and sometimes I cannot tell if, for example, there are Japanese letters written by a Chinese person (which can look slightly unusual to Japanese people). Anyway, it looks OK to my eyes, but you might want to hear a native speaker's opinion as well.

 

[Mikemike88]

Hello,
The flag is full of patriotic slogans, some with signatures placed after them. One of the slogans also has a date next to it: Shōwa 19 (1944), June 6th. The intended recipient would probably be the largish name on the right side of the flag, which I think is 幸田光造 (Yukita Mitsuzō - other pronunciations are also possible). Another slogan has the name of a location next to it: Chikuzen Haki-machi, Soto Sōzu (筑前杷木町寒水), which is near the middle of the southernmost island of Kyushu.

So there are a few interesting things with the flag: Names, location, date, and its kind of unusual to see a handful of people, each signing with a slogan. At first I thought the flag was trying too hard to be a wartime artifact (i.e. someone really worked hard to create a believable fake). But now I've changed my mind and I think its probably the best WW2 flag we've seen in a while.

Caveat: I am not a native speaker/writer of Japanese, and sometimes I cannot tell if, for example, there are Japanese letters written by a Chinese person (which can look slightly unusual to Japanese people). Anyway, it looks OK to my eyes, but you might want to hear a native speaker's opinion as well.

Many thanks for your response and for taking the time to look at this. I never really had any doubts as to the flags authenticity but the insight into the written content you've provided so far is really interesting. I would appreciate more specifics concerning the slogans on the flag. If you or someone else is able to provide that, it would be great.
Interesting coincidence that the flag has a date of 6 June 1944, which is of course the date of the D-Day invasion in France.
Glad you liked the flag and I look forward to hearing more about the content in due course. Enjoy your weekend.

 

[Majestic]

I think most of them are in this list.

Help With Japanese World War 2 Flag Souvenirs

From time to time posters send pictures of Japanese flags with writing on them, asking for help with translation or other information about the flags. Such flags are called Yosegaki Hinomaru (Good Luck Flag - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia flags, or often "Prayer Flags" or "Good Luck" flags...

jref.com

You can match up the characters with the ones in the list. The one on the far left of your flag: 断じて行へば鬼神も之を避く is interesting, and its the first time I've ever encountered it. It means, "if you proceed with conviction, even the devils will make way for you"