Japanese Military Mixed Collection ◆1000-Stitch Needle Belt (Soldier's Charm) 千人針 (Sen-nin-bari) Size: 16×124 cm Material: cotton 1000-Stitch Needle Belt 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. Please look closely at the many tangled red threads. It is threatening, terrifying, and crazy to have a thousand people involved in a mere piece of cloth. In a sense, this item expresses a will that is uniquely Japanese. Made of cotton and thread, it is over 80 years old but in very good condition. At first glance, it appears to be just a white cloth. But it is not. There are so many stitched threads hidden in the white cloth. It is hard to see in the front photo, but in strong light behind it, it is clearly visible. It is like a Japanese woman, “Yamato Nadeshiko,” with a modest style. We sense a strong soul in the hidden part. It's a great item with a soulful resonance. ◆帝国陸軍 MD Size: 15×36 cm This is an armband used by the Army Medical Corps. ◆Army Personal Notebook ◆Three Army textbooks ◆Leather eyeglass case ◆Badge Carefully packaged and shipped from Japan to overseas. We have other rare items up for current auction, so please check back.