Good Luck Flag

The Good Luck Flag (寄せ書き日の丸, yosegaki hinomaru) was a traditional gift for Japanese servicemen deployed during the military campaigns of the Empire of Japan, most notably during World War II.

[2] [3] Hinomaru normally featured some kind of exhortation written across the top of the white field, such as bu-un chō-kyu (武運長久, "May your military fortunes be long lasting"); other typical decoration includes medium-sized characters along the right or left vertical margin of the flag, typically the name of the man receiving the flag, and the name of the individual or organization presenting it to him.

[2] For the military man stationed far away from home and loved ones, the hinomaru yosegaki offered communal hopes and prayers to the owner every time the flag was unfolded.

It was culturally believed that great honour was brought upon the family of those whose sons, husbands, brothers and fathers died in service to the country and the Emperor, and that in doing one's duty, any soldier, sailor or aviator would offer up his life freely.

[7][8][9] The society's work has been recognized by Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs as an "important symbol of reconciliation, mutual understanding, and friendship between our two countries".

[11][12] On 15 August 2017, the society arranged for Marvin Strombo, a 93-year-old WWII Veteran, to travel back to Japan to return the flag he took to the family of the man who made it.

[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] The United States' National World War II Museum has published a preservation guide with a list of recommendations for storing and preserving synthetic materials and textiles, such as many of the hinomaru produced in previous wars, recommending that they are stored in climate controlled areas, kept away from bright lights, and mounted on a backing material for display.

After natural disasters such as the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and tsunami, people commonly write notes on a yosegaki hinomaru to show support.