A m o n t h l y n e w s l e t t e rOBON

201Issue
5 No. 1 August 2014

月 刊 ニ ュースレター

第 １号

２ ０１ ４ 年 ８ 月

OBON 2015Returning personal items to their families.
個人の遺留品をご遺族の元へ

E V E R Y O N E H A S A F A M I LY
誰でも一人一人に家族がいます

ONE MORE YEAR

Table of Contents

OBON 2015 now enters the final year of its intended goal tomark the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII by returning
personal items taken as battlefield souvenirs.

Page 2: The OBON 2015’s Story

We will now begin to communicate with Americans,Canadians and other allied countries where these personal
items were taken and we would like you to help us spread thenews of our effort.

Page 4: Portrait of a Japanese
Family Sending their Son to War

This monthly newsletter will keep you informed about current
situations and give you some background to OBON 2015’sefforts. Please forward it to whomever you think might beinterested.

OBON 2015 August 2014 NEWSLETTER #1

Page 3: A Marine’s Story

Page 5: The Scholar’s Corner
Page 6: OBON 2015 FAQPage 7: Contact OBON 20151

THE OBON 2 0 15 STORYIn May of 2009 a story unfolded from America and Japan’s past which triggered the need for OBON 2015.

Each family prepared aunique personal
keepsake for son tobring along when hewas away from home.

The story went like this; whenwar broke out the Japanesecalled up their young men toserve in the military.

The family signed their names on a small flag which
each man carried with him and carefully guarded.

When it was discovered that every Japanese soldier carried one of these flags they became a highly prized treasures of war.
These flags were taken and brought back home by the thousands and thousands.

This flag, for most Japanese families, isthe only surviving trace of theirhusband, brother and father.
OBON 2015 was created to help.
Now, after 70 years, many veteransand their children realize thesebattlefield souvenirs are personalfamily items and want to returnthem back to the family in Japan.
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OBON 2015 receives these flags andthrough their network of scholars,
dedicated priests and government
agencies they search across Japan until
the family is found, and to them the flagis returned to this famiily at no cost.
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A MAR I N E’S S TO RY

Typical young Marine withsouvenir flag; c. 1944

Ken Udstad, 4th Marine Division(1921-2014)

Ken Udstad was a U.S. Marine who served on Saipan and Tinian during WWII. During the war he gathered
Japanese “souvenirs” such as family photographs, a rifle and tools. He also brought home a Yosegaki Hinomaru.
After many decades Ken began to feel the need to return the Yosegaki Hinomaru to its rightful owner.
We lost Ken earlier this year, but before he passed away he made one heroic trip to Japan to return the flag.
OBON 2015 lent their resources to help search for the family which led to several conversations with Ken.
Following his trip to Japan we sent him some questions about his final mission.
Q: If another veteran, or their family members, told you they had a Japanese flag, and asked what heshould do with it, what would you tell him?

A: By all means make every effort to get it back to Japan. I know personaly (sic) how

important it is to them. When I think of how excited they are to get a connection totheir ancestors after almost 70 years I get tears in my eyes and a lump in my throatthat I am blessed to be a part of it. They are a gracious loving people. I love them dearly.
Q: How do the Japanese feel about these flags?

A: I don’t think there are the right words to tell you how happy and greatful (sic) theyare. But you get a feeling about them that warms your heart you can’t explain. Its areally great and satisfying feeling you can’t forget.
Q: What do you think about our mission OBON 2015 to return these flags and photos back to Japan?

A: I wish I could somehow explain how much it means to the Japanese people. I strongly

urge everyone who has a souvenir to return it now. You’ll never know the effect you’ll
have on some one’s life. Its a really awesome feeling.
OBON 2015 NEWSLETTER #1

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PO RT RA IT OF A J A PA NE S E FAMI LY G OI NG TO WA R
Before any son went off to war he was given aYosegaki Hinomaru signed by all his family andfriends. Often a portrait was taken of the family,
documenting the last time they would be together.

OBON 2015 has analyzed this photograph and willattempt to explain who appears in this portrait.

The drafted soldier holding in hisright hand the Yosegaki Hinomaru
mounted on a short pole.

The soldier’sFather.

The soldier’s Wife
holding theiryoungest Child.

Their Son.
The father’s younger
Brother holding hisSon; his Wife stands
alongside.

The familydog

The soldier’sMother.
Another Sonand Daughter.
The soldier’s
Brother

The soldier’s
little Sister.

This family is unknown. OBON 2015 would like to return this photograph to a family member. Their identity is speculation.

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The Scholar ’s Corner
OBON 2015 often researches Yosegaki Hinomaru thathave very few clues indicating who the family is andwhere they lived. However, OBON 2015’s scholars
and researchers are among the best in Japan.

When presented with a new Yosegaki Hinomaru ourresearchers analyze every detail looking for clues.
Every bit of information is important.
In this situation the flag’s date was discovered.
This hinomaru contained awide variety of writing,names and even a handprint.
In the upper left corner ourscholars noted an unusual
grouping of names.
They noted the name of amovie (green circle) “AppareIsshin Tasuke”, the the nameof an actor (red circle)“Enoken.”

The name “Enoken” wasactually the nickname of
Kenichi Enomoto, one ofJapan’s most famous actors.
Throughout his career(1934-1969) he appeared in
47 movies.

Kenichi Enomoto

The movie mentioned on
the flag featured thecharacter “Isshin Tasuke”
a fictional comical
individual who hasappeared in Japanese
literature for 400 years.

“Enoken” as Isshin Tasuke

This movie released on January 11th, 1945, which tells
us the flag was created after that date. On February
26th of that same year the government called up 1.5
million men between the ages 15 to 60.
OBON 2015 NEWSLETTER #1

The screenplay for thisversion of the Isshin Tasuke
was authored by 35 year
old Akira Kurosawa, wholater obtained international
fame as a movie director.

Akira Kurosawa

These additional soldiers were to protect the country
against rumored invasion by America. One theory
suggests this flag belonged to a young man who
answered this call to defend the homeland.
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OBON 2015 F A Q
OBON 2015 FAQ
Can OBON 2015 help me return this flag to its family in Japan?
Yes! That is exactly what we do. OBON 2015 is a non-profit, independent humanitarian effort. There is
no charges or fees for searching a family in Japan or for the item’s return.
How do you find the family?
OBON 2015 has a network of scholars and researchers who closely examine every article looking forclues of its origin. It is detective work.
In addition, OBON 2015 has a unique relationship with numerous Japanese government agencies,private organizations and religious groups who possess records, lists and addresses of military
personal and where their families lived.
By combining information from these different groups we have the ability to find families of veteransanywhere in Japan.
Can I be part of this process?
OBON 2015 will keep you informed step by step during the search if you would like.
We will send you personal emails describing every major breakthrough made by our researchers andyou will be the first to know when the family is found.
What happens to the flag if you can’t find the family?
Every flag OBON 2015 receives is returned to Japan.
We conduct extensive searches for family and do not give up easily.
In cases where the family cannot be found the flag will be returned to the community closest to where
the soldier lived. Most communities have shrines dedicated to the young men who lost their lives in thewar and they care for such items.
It should be remembered that the signatures and names appearing on the flags often come from thesurrounding neighborhood and many of the people who signed those flags are alive.
They, and their families, have a great interest in these flags and support their preservation.
How can I be sure OBON 2015 can be trusted?
OBON 2015 has gained the trust and respect of numerous Japanese governmental organizations andGokoku Shrine priests. In addition, the American Embassy in Japan has given their enthusiastic
approval for our meaningful work.

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Contact OBON 2015
If you have a flag, or know someone who does, please contact OBON 2015. We will
gladly answer any questions and fully explain our process. It will give us great
pleasure to research the flag in your possession and return it to its proper family.

OBON 2015
P.O. Box 282
Astoria, Oregon 97103
contact@OBON2015.com

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