Japanese Naval Signal Flag #8—Code "Hachi" 最初の8の日本の海軍艦隊信号-名前「はち」

The Japanese Maritime Flag for Eight is basically an inverse of Foxtrot.  The center square diamond is white instead of red, and the corners are red instead of white.

Many Americans will recognize the word 'Hachi' from Hachi a Dog's Tale 2009 that starred Richard Gere.  Hachi the dog is based upon a true story in Japan, but in this film it has been adapted for American Audiences.  Hachi means eight in Japanese.

In this story, a dog shows it unending devotion for its master who passes a away.  People were so inspired that it has generated a movie.  In weird way Hachi the dog is a Reverse Old Yeller story from Japan.  With the story of Hachi, it is the human that passes, and the orphaned dog becomes a beacon of love and loyalty.


Neat coincidence (or mark of Providence) is that Hachi (the number eight) is lucky-magic number in the East: that includes Japan, China, and Tibet.  The number 8 (HACHI) is associated with Buddhism due to 8 Fold Noble Path as decreed by the Original Buddha from India.  In the West there is the 10 Commandments, but in the East there is the 8 Fold Noble Path.

As was fated, Richard Gere is a Buddhist who was lucky enough to meet the Dali Lama and later make a film based in Japan, which is primarily Buddhist.

Eight is doubly important in Folk Mysticism of Ancient China, with the Legendary Eight Immortal Spirits who transcend time. 

No small wonder since 8 is the reflective of the Infinite Power of Consciousness-Universe, from a certain point of view; when you tilt your head.  Bottom line is, the Power of Love is Infinite....

Japanese Naval Signal Flag #7—Code "Nana" 最初の7の日本の海軍艦隊信号-名前「なな」

The Japanese Maritime Flag for Seven has two diagonals and two triangular ends and consists of three colours: red, yellow, and blue.  In the upper hoist corner is the red triangle and in the lower fly is a yellow triangle.  In between these corners are two stripes is a yellow then blue stripe.  All the divisions follow a dexter bend, with the blue bend separating the two yellow parts.

The Japanese do not have short or odd vowels, so when saying words in 'English-Latin' script the letters are pronounced phonetically.  Forexample, the word Nana なな both Na's are the same.  English has tendency to make each vowels sound different as in the word Banana (as the middle a has a different a sound, unless you area Minion from Dreamworks).

 Several days after scouring the internet  a real flag of the unique Japanese Auxiliary Naval signal number flag was found.  After going to Yahoo! instead of Google, was I able to find this artifact.  And it is for sale; apparently it was used in combat during WWII.

Here is a close up of the tag, that indicates it is indeed an Imperial Japanese Navy Signal flag. There is red ink that has Japanese Kanji upon it with other symbols that are hard to decipher.


Source of Image
http://www.wwiidaggers.com/33997.htm






    

Japanese Naval Signal Flag #6—Code "Roku" 最初の6の日本の海軍艦隊信号-名前「ろく」

The Roku or ろく is the Japanese Maritime Flag for the Number Six.  It has a white field with red dexter bend.

The Number 6 Auxiliary Japanese Naval flag is visible with the cover art of this model, Yamato model ship.  It is the flag in between Juliette and Golf. 

Japanese Naval Signal Flag #5—Code "Go" 最初の5の日本の海軍艦隊信号-名前「ご」

The Japanese Maritime Flag for the Number 5 is the inverse of Romeo.  It has yellow field with red cross.

Note that IJN #5 Aux Flag is the inverse of the Romeo-R ICS flag.

You can see the Go flag in use with IJN Coded Signals.  The Imperial Japanese Navy Auxiliary Number flags were used International Maritime Flags in the Japanese Navy.

Japanese Naval Signal Flag #4—Code "Yon" 最初の4の日本の海軍艦隊信号-名前「よん」

The Japanese Maritime four flag has four blue dots, which any civilization can recognizes as a good representation of the number four.















The Imperial Naval Signal flags are a rarity of a flags.  They mostly live on in the memory of history books. 

Japanese Naval Signal Flag #3—Code "San" 最初の3の日本の海軍艦隊信号-名前「さん」

The Japanese number 3 three is basically an echo of the Kanji - Chinese Character - for the number three.  The Kanji for three consists of three horizontal stripes.

Japanese Naval Signal Flag #2—Code "Futa" 最初の2の日本の海軍艦隊信号-名前「ふた」

The Japanese Naval signal flag for the number 2 is called Futa ふた.  The design of the flag has a blue field with two yellow rectangles along in the middle of the flag near the fly and hoist.

 The unique Japanese auxiliary number flags were used with international maritime flags.  Recently in an Anime series about female sailors, the Aux #2 flag has appeared leading with X-Ray and India for a code of 2XI.