Japan Axis Powers Sake Cup

[Brian Wolfe]

Axis Powers Sake Cup

I have always held a fascination for politics and political science. Any time I can pick up an artifact that demonstrates this process I try to acquire it for the collection. My modest sake cup collection exhibits this interest quite well with specimens from many of the time periods from the Meiji to the Showa eras, or at least to the end of the Pacific War in 1945. Events such as the China Incident and the return of soldiers from Manchukuo hold a special place in the collection. The cup I recently acquired, which is featured here, was one I wanted to share with the membership.

This porcelain cup, measuring 50mm (about 2 inches) in diameter and standing 29mm (roughly 1 1/8 inches) tall features the National flag of Japan along with those of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, though the Italian symbol is not actually the fascist itself. The cup commemorates the Axis Power Alliance; the exact event is unknown to me at this time. The exact dating of this piece would have to be tied to the above mentioned event but we can be pretty sure the range would be 1937 to 1941.

Some of these possible events are as follows:

The Anti-Comintern Pact of Nov. 25, 1936 which was an agreement to resist the Communist International (Comintern) movement, signed in Berlin between Germany, Japan and Italy on November 6, 1937. This led to the forming, at a later time, of the group which would become known as the Axis Powers.

The Military Alliance signed on September 25, 1940

Revised Pact signed on November 25, 1941.

I have been told that the writing in the bottom of the cup is that of a sake manufacturer which would make this a promotional item probably given out to members of the public rather than one having been sold by a sake cup or bottle vendor.

I hope you find this artifact as interesting as I have.

Regards

Brian

[mickey]

hi brian nice to see some cups I have a collection also and am lucky to have some of the rarer ones this is one of my favourites made at a time of huge political change in japan its early meiji and inscribed bunmei kaika or civilization and enlightenment indicating the absorption of all things western and shows the change from the sword to the rifle as well as the national flag (thanks rich catalano for translation) what I like is every cup tells a story

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Mickey,

Thank you for your reply and for posting this quite important and rare cup.

I'm afraid my collection contains what can only be termed as "eBay rare" specimens.

SInce Japanese medals are never named the sake cup can hold more information regarding the soldier's name, regiment etc. as well as the theater of war in which he served. I'm surprised, and at the same time glad, that more collectors are not adding these small tearsures to their collections.

I hope you will post more images of your sake cup (and bottles?) collection.

Regards

Brian

[JapanX]

Nice cups guys!

[mickey]

hi brian, thanks nick, just a few more of the less common items a bottle commemorating one of the human bombs a coporal kitagawa made at the famous hirado kiln,14th balloon regiment cup,what looks like a common crossed flag cup is to a soldier who served on Karafuto (Sakhalin) russo Japanese war era I believe items from Karafuto are scarce,and a very rare wooden 3 piece bottle to the 8th artillery thanks rich c for translations

[JapanX]

items from Karafuto are scarce

They certainly are, but my personal favorite

14th balloon regiment cup

[mickey]

I wonder if any type of balloon badge was ever issued

[JapanX]

Not to my knowledge

[Ulsterman]

Very cool. what was a human bomb?

an early form of kamikaze?

[JapanX]

Three Human Bombs / Bakudan Sanyushi / 爆弾三勇士

During the First Shanghai Incident of 1932, three combat engineers made their way towards some Chinese barbed wire with a Bangalore torpedo, a long tubular bomb used for clearing a path through barbed wire. These fallen soldiers became known as the "Three Human Bombs" . They were immediately made into heroes for having valiantly sacrificed themselves to clear the way for their fellow soldiers. Many people nowadays believe it was an accident and they had no intention of killing themselves

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=115132

[Ulsterman]

Ah! good stuff. Thanks.

[JapanX]

Here they are in full glory

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

+ a short article by Maesaka Toshiyuki (in japanese)

Article.pdf

[mickey]

this bottle shows the 3 soldiers crawling with the Bangalore fuse lit