WW2 Japanese Handmade Silk Banzai Flag Kanji Circle of Good Fortune

Most Japanese flags do NOT have Kanji in the center of the sun like this rare one.

This one has brush painted Kanji 圓則行 which means Circle of Good Fortune.

These carried-in-battle national flags are considered highly spiritual talismans. They were most often made by friends and family. These were given as gifts to departing soldiers and sailors as they left their family & friends to join the military.

The Japanese population fully supported their soldiers & sailors by making thousand stitch belts, going off to war banners, comfort bags loaded with goodies and making  flags like this one to be given to servicemen.

They typically bore words of encouragement, calls for bravery, honor, loyalty etc. 

These were carried folded up and tucked at the top of the helmet, worn around the neck, carried in the tunic, haversack, packs & pouches and or tied to the rifle or bayonet in the final Banzai charge as a way to protect the bearer.

This measures 26 x 14 inches with hand stitching as shown.