The History & Meaning of the National Flag of Japan

On this blog Japanese Tales, we are looking for insight into Japan and its people. So at some point, we had to look into the Japanese national flag.

Why do I hear you cry it’s just a simple design, what can we learn from a flag, a piece of cloth?

If you think about it the national flag of a country must be chosen to represent the country and have meaning to the people and a statement to the world.

The flag can be a rallying point at times of war to unite a country or during sporting events such as the Olympics, World Cup Football, and World Cup Rugby, the supporters and athletes literally wrap themselves in their flag.

It can be a symbol of pride and strength in a country.

Please check out these items above on Amazon

The Flag

The national flag of Japan is a rectangular banner with a crimson-red disc at its center.

The flag is officially called Nisshoki (sunrise flag), but it’s commonly known as Hinomaru (the circle of the sun).

The crimson disc at the center represents the sun.

The sun plays an important role in Japanese mythology and religion, the Emperor is believed to be a direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu.

The Japanese call their country Nippon, which means “land where the sun rises or originates” or as you might have heard Japan is often referred to as the “land of the rising sun”.

The first record of a flag being used in Japan with an emblem of the sun was in 701 AD in the court of Emperor Mommu, this is reported in the “Shoku Nishongi” a Japanese historical text.

Since this time the sun has been in various flags throughout Japanese history. During the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912) when Japan opened up and dismantled its isolation policy, the emergence of Japan into the modern world was well represented with a flag with a rising sun, to signify the dawning of a new age/period.

The Nisshoki/Hinomaru flag was officially adopted by the Japanese government on 13 August 1999 when the Act on National Flag and Anthem was signed.

The largest Japanese flag is located in Shimane Prefecture, where it flies outside the Izumo Shrine. It measures 44.6 feet (13.6 meters) by 29.5 feet (8.9 meters) and is flown at an elevation of 154 feet (47 meters).

Dimensions of the flag

The dimensions of Japan’s national flag are extremely specific.

• The length and height of the flag must be a ratio of 3 to 2.
• The crimson circle has to be centered exactly.
• The crimson circle must cover 3/5 of the width of the flag.

National Holidays

On national holidays in Japan, which there are many, there were 22 national holidays in 2019. For more information about Japan, and public holidays check out: www.publicholidays.jp

The national flag can be seen displayed outside people’s houses, on public buses and taxis, and even outside police stations and along some streets.

Sporting Pride

As you may know, The Rugby World Cup is being held in Japan. The Japanese team did really well and were top of their group. You could see the Japanese national flag around the stadiums to express their support for the Japanese team (The Brave Blossoms).

I expect Japan’s national flag will become more familiar to you especially next year when the Tokyo Olympics take place in 2020.

Final Thought

So Japan’s national flag does have meaning and significance.

The crimson/red circle is symbolic of the sun and is said to represent a prosperous future for Japan.

The white background symbolizes the purity, honesty, and integrity of the people of Japan.

Throughout history, Japan has been connected to the sun, from its creation mythology and also it is the most easterly country in Asia so it has been connected to the rising sun to the other Asian countries. To the time of the Meiji Restoration was when Japan was reborn into the modern era and used the rising sun motif on its flag.

There might be a negative image of Japan’s national flag in some countries due to its use in World War II, but that is for another time and possibly another site.