Japan - Flag - Japanese Deployment Flag — Shussei-ki with Dedications

Numerous handwritten dedications — the flag is covered in yosegaki, messages written by family and community members to bless the departing soldier.
Leather-reinforced corners with hanging cord — a construction detail that confirms this was made for actual deployment and display, not as a commemorative reproduction.
Period-authentic condition — the cloth, ink bleeding, and calligraphy style are all consistent with a genuine wartime piece, as assessed by the seller.

A shussei-ki — a deployment flag bearing the Rising Sun and filled with the handwritten prayers of a soldier's community — one of the most intimate and poignant surviving documents of wartime Japan.
Few objects from wartime Japan carry as much human weight as the shussei-ki. When a man was conscripted or volunteered, his family would obtain a Hinomaru — a white flag bearing the red disc of the Rising Sun — and pass it through the neighbourhood. Each household would contribute a dedication: a name, a wish, a prayer. The flag would then be given to the soldier, carried with him to the front, or displayed at his family home until his return — or until word came that he would not be returning at all.

This flag bears, at its top, the inscription 祈 武運長久 — "Pray for Martial Fortune to Endure" — the single most common blessing on wartime Japanese flags. Around this central prayer, numerous hands have written their dedications in ink. The messages are crowded together, layer upon layer, each one a small act of faith and farewell.

The authenticity of the piece is supported by several details. The cloth has the texture and patina of age. The ink has bled and faded in ways that are consistent with decades of exposure to light and air. The calligraphy styles — which vary, as they must, since they were written by different people — are consistent with the period. These are not the marks of a reproduction.

The construction of the flag itself also confirms its purpose. All four corners are reinforced with leather — a practical measure to prevent tearing during handling and display. A cord is attached for hanging. These details indicate a flag that was made to be used, not merely to be kept. It was meant to be seen: hung in the family home, perhaps, or carried in a public farewell procession.

No major tears are present, though the general condition is, naturally, one of considerable age. The fabric has survived the better part of a century, and with it, the voices of an entire community condensed into a single piece of cloth.

For a collector of Japanese wartime history, this shussei-ki is an object of rare emotional and historical significance. It is not a symbol of war, but of something far more intimate: the moment when ordinary people said goodbye.

Shipping & Handling
This item ships from Japan. Estimated delivery to most international destinations is 7–14 business days once dispatched. Textile pieces are typically folded carefully and wrapped in acid-free materials to preserve condition during transit.

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