Help Kanji translation of WWII Yosegaki Hinomaru

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

If I am posting in incorrect orientation forgive me and let me know, I will repost pics.

I believe that the Yosegaki Hinomaru were presented to Japanese soldiers departing for service by friends, family, or their place of work or school, and adorned with their signatures and wishes of good fortune. To preserve the history of this flag I would like to know if it has the following, and what they are:

Soldier's name
Service branch or unit
Prefecture, school, organization
Phrases that wish him good luck

Thank you in advance for helping me!
Mike

 

[Majestic]

I think you've got the flag facing the wrong way. It needs to be turned over. It is filled with patriotic phrases and military slogans of the period. I can't find any indication of who it might be for, but maybe something will stand out if its turned the right way round.

Some of the phrases

儘忠報告 = Jinchuuhoukoku (Give all for one's country).
武勲 = Bukun (Military achievement)
七生報告 = Shichishouhoukoku （Unfailing devotion to country)
勇奮全？= Yuufunzen___ (Courage for 'something')
健闘を祈る = Kentou wo inoru (Wishing you good luck)

 

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

Majestic: So (A) you can read archaic pre-1945 kanji; AND, (B) you can read it backwards, and possibly upside down! I am VERY impressed! Thank you for the inspiring quotes. I have seen Yosegaki that have maybe two inspirational quotes, but this one has several. Please tell me which way to flip it, and I will repost.. My understanding is that, at that time, the Japanese displayed the flag with the corner-ties to the right; thus, it was signed accordingly. So I should flip it top to bottom?

I know some flags would provide a lot of information regarding the soldier, such as prefecture, school, business, etc. If there is a little bit of story regarding that one soldier, I would like to know. I do not wish to take advantage of your generosity, so respond only if interesting to you. Thank you!

 

[Majestic]

Haha... well probably not as impressive as you might think. Its pretty easy to figure out the set phrases, even in reverse. And not all kanji were simplified... a lot of them remain unchanged. Anyway, try flipping it over so that the bottom right corner is now on the top left (and the side facing the table is now facing the camera), some things might become easier to pick out. All of the writing radiates from the center, so I'm not terribly worried about how the flag is rotated, I just want to see the other side of it. There is a bit of writing on the bottom right corner (bottom right as it is now in your picture) that looks like it might be something other than a slogan, but a bit hard to figure out as it is now. If you flip it as I suggest, this horizontal writing will be vertical, as I suspect it was intended to be, so it might become more legible. (Could be completely wrong of course, but give it a go so we can see the other side anyway).

Let me add that I found one of the kanji combinations to be very cryptic, and I'm wondering if it isn't the owner's given name. The kanji are 唯前 (and what looks to be a fragment of a kanji next to that). I took it to be part of some long-forgotten military slogan, but I'm wondering it is isn't 唯前へ, with 唯前 being the owner's name. Kind of an odd name, so it doesn't feel quite right to me.

Curious as to what Toritoribe-san thinks.

 

[Toritoribe]

Here're the rest phrases written on the frag.

義勇奉公
祈健在
勇奮玉砕
行け聖戰
國威発揚
立テ祖國為
祝戦（陣？）
忠勇
堅忍
祈成功
祈武運長久
征戦
日本男子の本懐なり
銃後の守（合？）固シ心配御無用
貴君ノ戦功ヲ祈ル
七生報國
忠君愛？
唯前へ
誠忠
赤心
頑張れ木下進めよ征馬
（伏？）シテ又起キ？
義ヲ見テセザルハ勇ナキナリ
唯忠
盡忠報國

The only information regarding the soldier who was given the flag is 頑張れ木下進めよ征馬 "Go for it, Kinoshita. Make your horse move forward." Thus, his family name is 木下 "Kinoshita".

 

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

OK, I don't think I understand all I comprehend about those directions, so here are four possible variations. Let me know if i got close.
Mike

 

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

Toritoribe: Now that was fast. So if I copy paste each of those lines of kanji into "Google Translate" it will enlighten me even further? LOL. Or "dis-enlighten" me? However, I am happy with the linguistic detective work you have done. I suppose that phrase about making his horse move forward was meant to inspire him, but I suppose it could be taken in another way.

 

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

The Google translation. Some are obviously inspirational. Some are uncertain to my occidental eyes.

Volunteer apprenticeship
In good health and prayer
Isamu奮 suicidal
Kiyoshi戰 to go
Kunii carry forward
Tatsute Sokunitame
Celebration game (camp?)
Chuyu
Perseverance
Success prayer
The fortune of war perpetuity prayer
Seisen
It becomes Honkai Japanese men
Mamoru (synthetic?) Solidified worry home-front
Kikun Roh battle stars Wo pray
Nanami Hokuni
Chukun love?
Previous only
Seichu
Open-heartedness
Ceiba Susumeyo Kinoshita hang in there
Okoshiki also (Fuxi?) Shite?
Nakinari Isamu Tesezaruha seen Yoshio
YuiTadashi
盡忠 Hokuni

 

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

About half-way down the list is "It becomes Honkai Japanese men", Is Honkai a geographic location, or a descriptive term, such as "manly" or "soldierly"?

 

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

I personally like: "Ceiba Susumeyo Kinoshita hang in there"

 

[Majestic]

Oops, I think you've mixed up the flag thread with the poem/picture thread. Anyway, of the four pictures above, the one that works is Quarter 4 Flipped 2. That's the way the flag should be facing. (Unfortunately, it wasn't much help to me.)

 

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

My interpretation; obviously, with no understanding of the contemporary culture:

Volunteer apprenticeship - Volunteered to learn (apprentice)? Or beginning?
In good health and prayer - Obvious
Isamu奮 suicidal - Not suicidal in Western sense. Give life for country or emperor?
Kiyoshi戰 to go - Something regarding his leaving
Kunii carry forward - Obvious
Tatsute Sokunitame - ?
Celebration game (camp?) - or Event?
Chuyu - ?
Perseverance - Obvious
Success prayer - Obvious
The fortune of war perpetuity prayer - Obvious
Seisen - ?
It becomes Honkai Japanese men - No less than we would expect from our men
Mamoru (synthetic?) Solidified worry home-front - Home front cares about you
Kikun Roh battle stars Wo pray - Something about Pray for Battle Success?
Nanami Hokuni - ?
Chukun love? - Love that Chukin!
Previous only - I agree with the one before?
Seichu - ?
Open-heartedness - Obvious
Ceiba Susumeyo Kinoshita hang in there - The last 3 words are obvious
Okoshiki also (Fuxi?) Shite? - ?
Nakinari Isamu Tesezaruha seen Yoshio - ?
YuiTadashi - ?
盡忠 Hokuni - ?

 

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

You see? I cannot multitask. But thank you so much for trying!

 

[Toritoribe]

I've moved the posts.

Here's the transliterations and translations. The line in the topic is the red one.

義勇奉公
Giyū hōkō
Serve for the nation with loyalty and courage.

祈健在
Inoru kenzai
Wishing you good health.

勇奮玉砕
Yūhun gyokusai
Courage for honourable death

行け聖戰
Ike seisen
Go to the holy war.

國威発揚
Kokui hatsuyō
Display national prestige

立テ祖國為
Tate sokoku no tame
Stand up for the nation.

祝戦（陣？）
Shuku sen?
Congratulations ?

忠勇
Chūyū
Loyalty and bravery

堅忍
Kennin
Fortitude

祈成功
Inoru seikō
Wishing you success.

祈武運長久
Inoru Buunchōkyū
May God prosper your arms.

征戦
Seisen
military expedition

日本男子の本懐なり
Nippon danshi no honkai nari
(To go to the war is) the true worth of Japanese men.

銃後ノ守（合？）固シ心配御無用
Jūgo no mamori ? katashi. Sinpai gomuyō.
The home front is strong. Don't worry.

貴君ノ戦功ヲ祈ル
Kikun no senkō wo inoru.
Wishing you'll get military exploits.

七生報國
Shichishouhōkoku
Unfailing devotion to country

忠君愛？
Chūkun ai?
Loyalty ?

唯前へ
Tada mae e
Go only forward.

誠忠
Seichū
Sincere loyalty

赤心
Sekishin
Sincerity

頑張れ木下進めよ征馬
Ganbare Kinoshita. Susumeyo seiba.
Go for it, Kinoshita. Make your horse move forward.

（伏？）シテ又起キ？
? shite mata oki ?
?

義ヲ見テセザルハ勇ナキナリ
Gi wo mite sezaru wa yū naki nari.
It is coward not to do at the time to do right.

唯忠
Yuichū
Only loyalty

盡忠報國
Jinchuuhoukoku
Give all for the country.

 

[ViniVidiDejaVu]

Toritoribe: Thank you so much for once again going above and beyond the call of duty. I thought most of the kanji would be name of well wishers, but obviously they spent a lot of time with their dedications. One thinks of them all carefully inscribing the flag to wish a loved one honor, dedication, and good fortune. You can't help but hope he made it back to them.

Thanks again to Toritoribe and Majestic for presenting the human side of this soldier leaving for war.
Mike