NIHON
Japan
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The
Symbol of the Emperor |
The
Symbols of the Shoguns |
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I. The Symbol of the Empire As of so many other
empires the symbol of the Japanese Empire is a sun. The personification of
this sun is the Goddess Amaterasu (the Heaven-Shining-Great-August
deity) and the connection of this sun-goddess with Japan is postulated in the
legends of the Koj-iki (The Record of Ancient Matters), a chronicle
published in 712. |
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THE RED SOLAR DISC About the Japanese
solar symbol Dower writes: Sun (hi). The circular red “rising sun” first appeared as a popular
decorative pattern on fans in the early Heian Period (794-1185). It was not
adopted as a national emblem until 1854, and the Japanese “rising sun” flag
was not designed until 1870. Even as an imperial symbol, the sun was
not conspiciously emphasized until
around the beginning of the thirteenth century, when gold and silver
embroidered circles representing the sun and the moon respectively were
displayed on the emperor’s brocade banners. The solar symbol derived,
of course, from Japan’s legendary origins and the alleged genesis of the
imperial line from the Sun Goddess. Despite its belated formalization as an
imperial and then national emblem, however, surprisingly few families adopted
the sun, or sun-and-sun-in-rays, as a family emblem [1] |
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Display of red-disc-sun
banners at the Battle of Sekigahara
(1600), decisive for the accession of the Kamakura Shogunate. |
The use of the red sun as a kind of national
symbol originated even somewhat before the Tokugawa-shogunate (1603-1868).
The red sun was displayed amongst others on banners of different colours.
Seventeenth century drawings show different versions of these banners, for
example white with three or more red discs. In 1853, after the opening up of the country,
at the instigation of the daimyo (prince) Nariakira of Satsuma who
favoured this flag, it was proclaimed that all Japanese ships had to fly the
sun-flag Hino-maru. This was
officially confirmed on the 5th of August 1854. The flag, showing a red disc
on a white field, was officially adopted on 17th of February 1870
and was hoisted for the first time in 1872 at the occasion of the opening of
a railway line. [2] |
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Ietsugu Banner and Battle
standard |
Sakakibara Motonao Banner and Personal Standard |
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Ietsugu (1564-1618) was the son of Sakai Tadatsugu and held Yoshida from 1578 until 1590, at which point he received a
30,000-koku fief in Kôzuke province (Usui). He saw his income raised to 50,000 in 1594. He fought at Sekigahara (1600) and the Osaka Castle campaigns and in 1619 received a 100,000-koku fief at
Takata in Echigo province. Sakakibara Motonao (榊原職直) (1564-1642), was the second
adopted child of Sakakibara Yasumasa He
was adopted from the Hanafusa family (花房), retainers of the Ukita. This Motonao was born in 1572, adopted by
Yasumasa in 1599, participated in the Battle of Sekigahara (1600) at the age
of 24; and had previously received the title of Hida no kami. [3]
Photo H.d.V. 2010 Horse ensigned Hi Painting on wood. Sold Amsterdam,
2010 |
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THE SUN IN SPLENDOUR |
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However, for the symbol of the empire a red
radiating sun was favoured instead of the simple red disc, the red disc in
fact being the symbol of the Chinese Empire. A sun in splendour appears for
the first time on coins minted in 1869 [4]]. By decree of the 27th of February 1870, ratified the 5th
of May 1870 it was officially laid down that the symbol of the empire would
be a red radiating sun. The sun in splendour was placed on a mirror
in the Imperial State Achievement appearing on coins of the same year and on
the jewel of the Order of the Chrysantemum, founded in 1877.
After the promulgation of the Constitution on
11th of February 1889 this symbol was placed on the ensign by
decree of 3rd of November 1889.
The sun in splendour disappeared from coins
in 1938 and was replaced by the imperial kiku-mon |
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II. The Achievement of State 19TH CENTURY COATS OF ARMS AND
ACHIEVEMENTS
18th
century Imperial coat of arms in a french source [5] This
Quane is Go-Sai (1655-’63). After
1853 state emblems of Japan were described in Western sources. It is not clear
if these state emblems were really existing and used emblems or that they
were just made up from oral and written descriptions. In fact the
documentation of the symbols of Japanese government is very weak and scarce
and for the time being the following is only what I could gather from
different Western sources. The
symbols occurring in the arms and achievements documented in European sources
are certainly symbols of the armed power.
Two coats of arms of Japan in „Die Wappen der
außerdeutschen Souveräne und Staaten”, Nürnberg 1857 (1870). The coat of arms on the left is
not of Japan but of Japara (Java,
Indonesia) |
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The
first emblem or coat of arms consists of two swords in saltire and a
crescent, a free European interpretation of the symbol of the “Boddhisattva
and protective war deity Myoken” and should be considered as the symbol of
the armed forces. Another coat of arms is: Azure, within a
bordure Or, between four five-pointed stars Or, an oval escutcheon Or,
charged with a sphere within an orle of six five-pointed stars Argent. In
this coat of arms we recognize in the oval escutcheon with the sphere and
stars, the seven stars of the Great Bear, another symbol of the “Boddhisattva
and protective war deity Myoken”. The four five-pointed stars in the corners can be interpreted
as the four cherry-blossoms (sakura), borne nowadays on the flag of
the commissioner of police. We meet six stars on a yellow field on a coat of
arms documented by the 18th century encyclopeadia of Diderot and d’Alembert
where they are given to “Quane Empereur du Japon”. It is not clear what high
official hides behind this “Quane”. The coat of arms with the stars also occurs
in an achievement in which it is supported by two flags and a banner of the aoi-mon
of the Tokugawa shogun Iesada
(1853-1858).
Achievement of
Japan on a chart entitled “Armoiries
des Principales Puissances”, 1877. The arms are: Azure, within a bordure
Or, four mullets Or and an oval Or, a sphere within an orle of six
five-pointed stars Argent. Behind the shield two flags: white, a black bar,
and a white gonfanon with the aoi-mon of the Tokugawa family. These
two coats of arms and the achievement are probably the symbols of the
authorities the Europeans had most to do with after the opening up of the
country: the army and the police. |
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THE ACHIEVEMENT OF STATE,
1870.
In this first more or less official
achievement of state we can determine westen influence in the fact that it is
a composition of different symbols, which is quite common in western heraldry
but unknown in Japanese mon-art. In particular the western heraldic
scheme of shield, crest and supporters is to be noted.
First design of the Achievement of
State. On a 20 sen-coin, 1870 A.: Within a circle of dots, a red sun in
splendour. Crest: A kiku-mon between two kiri-mon. Garland: A Chrysantemum and a Paulownia-plant |
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Like the sun in the earlier achievement the
mirror is surrounded by the symbols of Imperial power: the kiri- and
the kiku-mon. Also two red banners are displayed, showing a silver
moon on the dexter and a golden sun on the sinister, these being the banners
of the Empress and the Emperor respectively.
Second design of the Achievement
of State, On a golden 20 yen-coin
1870-1892 A.: A mirror (kagami) Argent, charged
with a sun in splendour Gules. Crests: A kiku-mon in chief and a kiri-mon in
base Garland: A Chrysantemum and a Paulownia plant
proper. Supporters: Two banners Gules in saltire, te
dexter charged with a crescent Argent, the sinister charged with a sun Or. |
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ACHIEVEMENTS OF STATE 1890 - 1938 CA After the
promulgation of the Constitution on 11th February 1889 / 29th November
1890 the heraldic representation of
Japan was changed. The
Constitution provided: Article 4 The Emperor
is the head of the Empire, combining in Himself the rights of sovereignty,
and exercises them, according to the provisions of the present Constitution. As the Emperor thus became the absolute
monarch by descend, the kiku-mon of the Imperial family became the
main symbol of the heraldic representation. From then on it has to be
considered as the symbol of Japanese sovereignty instead of merely the symbol
of religious power as it was before. Because the Imperial power comprised the
administrative and armed powers the kiri-mon disappeared and no
special symbol was adopted for the armed power, formerly represented by the mon
of the shogun. |
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Kiku-mon surrounded with a garland of chrysantemum and paulownia, supposed to be
the achievement of the House of Peers. The garland symbolizing
the imperial mission [7] |
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Mirror (kagami) charged with a sun (hi). As on coins until 1938 and supposed to be the
achievement of the House of Representatives. The mirror symbolizing the divine mission. The
Emperor reigned with the aid of the Imperial Diet. This Imperial Diet, according
to Chapter III, art. 33, consisted of two chambers: a House of Peers and a House of
Representatives. The next Articles stipulate: Article 34
The House of
Peers shall, in accordance with the ordinance concerning the House of Peers,
be composed of the members of the Imperial Family, of the orders of nobility,
and of those who have been nominated thereto by the Emperor. Article 35
The House of
Representatives shall be composed of members elected by the people, according
to the provisions of the law of Election. Corresponding with the two Houses of the
Imperial Diet, from this time two different achievements were used: 1. The supposed achievement of the House of
Peers consisting of the Imperial kiku-mon surrounded with a garland of
Chrysantemum and Paulownia. thus considering the House of Peers as a function
of the sovereign Imperial family. 2. The supposed achievement of the House of
Representatives which consists of a mirror charged with a sun in splendour,
thus considering the House of Representatives as a function or reflection of
the Empire. Both achievements disappeared
in about 1938. |
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NIHON Japan The Japanese
Constitution of November 3, 1946 / May
3, 1947, provides in Chapter I: The Emperor. We,
the Japanese people [……] do proclaim that sovereign power resides with the
people and do firmly establish this Constitution. Article 1 The Emperor
shall be the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, deriving his
position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power. As a consequence the Imperial symbol of
sovereingty has become identical with the symbol of the sovereign Japanese people.
From this time on
the symbols of Japan consist of the national red-disc flag, adopted in 1854,
and the Imperial State symbol consisting of the traditional golden
chrysantemum. |
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© Hubert de Vries 2008-10-03
Updated 2010-04-02; 2018-07-15