A monthly newsletter

Issue No. 7

月 刊 ニ ュースレター

February 2015

第 7号

2 01 5 年 2 月

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

ここ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

OBON 2015 - OBON 2020
As we enter this year, the 70th anniversary ofpeace between the people of Japan and the peopleof America, we see our efforts growing andbecoming more understood.

Page 2: 2020 Olympics
Page 3: Returned Hinomaru
Page 4: Taiwan Connection

We have been contemplating our next step whichPage 5: Heartfelt

is intended to bring our service to more people inPage 6: Scholar’s Corner

other countries. This month we are pleased toannounce our upcoming plans.

!
1

Table of Contents

Page 7: Contact OBON 2015

OBON 2015 February NEWSLETTEROBON 2015 Meets OBON 2020
When OBON 2015 began our efforts back in 2009 we needed a deadline to help focus ourattention. The 70th Anniversary of the end of the war seemed perfect. Thus we became“OBON 2015”. However, in these past years we’ve realized two important facts.
First: We realized the need to make this effort truly international. We are contacted by veteransin other countries and this made us aware of Yosegaki Hinomaru in Canada, England, Australia
and New Zealand, to say nothing of those in India, Russia and the Philippines. This fact hascaused us to expand our vision in order to reach everyone.
Second: While the Japanese see the 70th anniversary as a major timeline in history, the EuroAmerican culture is more aligned with recognizing the 75th anniversary. We like quarters….
25th, 50th and 75th….we assign precious gifts to these….Silver, Gold and Diamond.

These two facts brought the year 2020 into clear focus for OBON 2015.
The year 2020 will bea very significant
year for the peopleof Japan Not only
will this year markthe 75th anniversary
since the beginningof peace, but it will
also mark the returnof the Olympics toJapan.

These Olympics have been moved forward more than two months from the earlier games.
They are now scheduled to begin on July 24rd and end on August 9th. The decision to hold theOlympics earlier seemed almost too perfect for our purposes. The 2020 Olympics will conclude
precisely during OBON season.
These facts have caused OBON 2015 to expand our vision for another five years. In otherwords, we have just now begun our efforts.
(The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were held in October)!
2

OBON 2015 February NEWSLETTER

Thank you for your Support
OBON 2015 is pleased to announce another five flags were returned during the month of January/February. Each flag is like a pebble tossed in a lake, with ripples spreading out in all directions.

Soldier’s name: Mr. Renzo Eisha. Returned to hisdaughter in Tokyo prefecture.

Soldier’s name: Mr. Yoshinori Tasaka. Returned to his olderbrother (93 years old) and relatives in Hiroshima prefecture.
!
3Soldier’s name: Mr. Yoshio Kanaya
Returned to his relatives in Japan.

Soldier’s name: Mr. Michitaro Okada
Returned to his brother-in law in Saitama prefecture.
OBON 2015 February NEWSLETTER“TAIWAN”
OBON 2015 received a Yosegaki Hinomaru inscribed with writing that clearly wasn’tJapanese. It was immediately recognized as being Taiwanese handwriting.
Taiwan had been a territory under Japanese control since 1895. During these several
generations the Taiwanese had absorbed many traditions and customs from theJapanese, including the unique tradition of the Yosegaki Hinomaru. More than 200,000
Taiwanese young men served in the Japanese military and before leaving home theirfamilies and friends provided them with signed flags. (see photo below)
A cooperative search was carried out between Japanese andTaiwanese; within several months a grandson was found whowants this item returned to their family. OBON 2015 is proud torestore this personal item to our friends is Taiwan.

TongluoTownshipTaiwanese soldiers with Yosegaki Hinomaru!
4This Yosegaki Hinomaru will return thesoldier’s grandson in the Tongluo Township
OBON 2015 February NEWSLETTERHEART FELTOne of the most surprising discoveries OBON 2015 staff has made during the past five years islearning how many Americans are in possession of items they sincerely want returned to Japan.
The items they have were brought to America during a very different era, and now the world
has changed.
Many people tell OBON 2015 staff that if it were the other way around….if their husband orfather or brother had been killed in some foreign land and their personal property takenaway…there is no question that the family would very much appreciate having it returned tothem.
And so, OBON 2015 receives many items from like-minded people who merely want to dowhat they believe is a decent, humane act of respect for our fellow man.

“For many years my mother and I struggled with finding the right thing to do withthis flag. We know it should not be kept hidden or locked away somewhere
because it was special. When someone mentioned an organization that wasdedicated to returning these flags to the families, I knew in my heart that waswhat I should do. I hope and pray that this flags return serves as a source ofcomfort and appreciation for their loved ones service to their country. OBON
2015 is doing a truly remarkable job in their efforts and I am both humbled andhonored to have taken part in this process.”
Mr. Robbie M.
Prairieville, LA5

OBON 2015 February NEWSLETTEROBON
2015’s FUTURE
The Scholar’s Corner
This beautiful Yosegaki Hinomaru contained the soldier’s name and also it contained the name of acompany. This additional detail is always helpful in advancing our search. In this case the company
name is so well known that one has a wikipedia page and the other possesses its own web site.
Uraga Dock Company: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uraga_Dock_Company
Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.: http://www.shi.co.jp/english/index.html

Ship construction in this area began many
centuries ago; the Uraga Dock Company wasfounded in 1869 and later merged with Sumitomo
Heavy Industries, Ltd. in 2003.
Company records allowed us to identify thegentlemen below.

!
6

OBON 2015 February NEWSLETTERContact OBON 2015
OBON 2015 needs your support. Please.
OBON 2015 is an affiliate of Astoria Visual Arts,a 501(C)3 non-profit organization.
Please send your tax-deductible contributions to:
AVA/OBON 2015
P.O. Box 282
Astoria, Oregon 97103
Your contributions will help us reach more families
and return more personal items.

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!
7

OBON 2015 February NEWSLETTER