Representatives from the USS Lexington Museum were in Tokyo, Japan recently, to reconnect a family after 80 years of separation, with the return of the Yosegaki Hinomaru or “Good Luck Flag”, that belonged to World War II Japanese soldier Shigeyoshi Mutsuda . The ceremony took place at a national shrine in Tokyo July 29th. The children of Mr.Mutsuda received the flag, viewed as his spirit returning home, that can reunite with his wife who recently passed away at the age of 102.
Steve Banta, Executive Directer of the USS Lexington Museum (left); Toshihiro Mutsuda (right) son of Shigeyoshi Mutsuda (Photo Shuji Kajiyama/AP)
The flag being returned was donated to the USS Lexington Museum in 1994. It was only recently identified as a “Good Luck” flag; signed by family and friends of Japanese service members prior to leaving home for war. For Japanese families, the Good Luck Flags are often all that remains of their loved ones killed in action, and the return of the flag is seen as the return of their family member’s remains.
“Like many women of her time, Mrs. Mutsuda’s husband made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, which left her to provide for all of their family’s needs. The feeling of loss of her soulmate was very difficult, and only eased on rare occasions when she could make the long journey to the national shrine to commune with her husband’s spirit.
This shrine is where the ceremonial reuniting took place, with husband and wife finally finding peace, together.” (From USS Lexington Museum site)
Here is a link to my post about the Reparation Ceremony held July 20, 2023 on the USS Lexington Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas: https://coastalcrone.com/2023/08/09/japanese-good-luck-flag-reparation/
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