◆Hinomaru Yosegaki Flag 日の丸 寄せ書き Size: 66×68 cm Material: cotton Notes: The central red circle is missing This is a rare old flag. During World War II, the Japanese created this flag to send soldiers off to war. The words written here are words of support for soldiers going to the battlefield and names of supporters. Japanese flags have large white margins and are used to communicate intentions to others by writing letters, just like a letter. Various designs exist for wartime yosegaki flags. It is a very powerful flag,because it contains many encouraging words and the names of many people. It conveys a very strong will and even a sense of fear. It is filled with soul. As a Japanese, I feel "SAMURAI 侍," "BUSHIDO 武士道," and the strong spiritual power of Japan in this flag. It is a wonderful work, full of presence. "武運長久 bu-un-chou-kyu" The most used term during the war, "武運長久 bu-un-chou-kyu," is used. It means: "Good luck on the battlefield. Be sure to return home alive!" It reminds us of the scenes of Japanese families, friends, and neighbors at the time of the war. "皇紀二千五百九十八年 Kouki 2598 / This mean 1938＝showa 13" "日支事変 Nixtu-Shi Jihen / Sino-Japanese War" This flag is old and some areas that has stains and rubs, so please understand the situation. The red circle in the center of this flag is missing. The reason for this is unknown. Look at the white cloth section. It displays the number of people and the names of their respective units. The characters are bold and powerful, and the design is magnificent. ◆1000-stitch belt (Sen-ninbari 千人針) Size: 14×114 cm Material: cotton 1000-stitch belt (Sen-ninbari 千人針) was a prayer technique and resulting amulet that was popular in Japan until World War II, in which many women sewed threads into a piece of cloth and tied knots in it. It is a folk belief to pray for the longevity of military fortune, in other words, for soldiers' good luck on the battlefield. A white cloth about one meter long is sewn with red thread to make a knot (tama-knot) at a glance. The goal of this activity is to have 1,000 women sew one stitch on each piece of cloth. In those days, many people called out to each other in the neighborhood and on the street. The magical power of the cloth/thread/red color/ and the thoughts of a thousand women sewing one stitch at a time were combined in this thousand needle. There are records that soldiers on the battlefield fought by wrapping it around their stomachs or heads as a talisman. It is threatening, terrifying, and crazy to have a thousand people involved in a mere piece of cloth. This 1000-stitch belt (Sen-ninbari 千人針) made of cotton, a light and strong material. It is important that the amulet be light and strong, as soldiers fought on the battlefield with this amulet wrapped around their stomachs. Various types of 1000-stitch belt were produced by Japanese women during the war. This is so beautiful and carefully crafted in their overall workmanship and design. And this is a very valuable item, nearly 100 years old but in excellent condition of preservation. And above all, what is most astonishing is "the sheer amount of red thread". With the light source behind it, the fact becomes visible. That is, a large quantity of red thread exists on the reverse side of the cotton fabric. I've seen a considerable number of items over the years, but I know of no other piece as meticulously crafted as this one. It is a truly remarkable item. These two items are valuable pieces of Japanese history. Nice collection. Carefully packaged and shipped from Japan to overseas. We have other rare items up for current auction,so please check back.