Named Ship Cups Page 7
Named warship lacquered wood cup with gilt imperial paulownia crest.
Inscribed: 'Taisho 2 [1913] July 18, Warship Tsukuba, Good Conduct Commemorative.'
The cruiser Tsukuba was launched in 1905 and struck from the lists in 1917.
Named warship lacquered wood 3-cup set with gilt Navy anchor & blossom.
Inscribed: 'Showa 6 [1931] , Fleet Commemorative, Harukaze.'
The destroyer Harukaze was launched in 1922 and struck from the lists in 1945.
Named warship lacquered wood cup with gilt Navy anchor & blossom.
Inscribed: 'Imperial Year 2600 [1940], Warship Yura.'
The cruiser Yura was launched in 1922 and sunk in 1942.
Named warship pewter cup with polished imperial paulownia crest.
Inscribed: 'Warship Fuso, Commemorative of the Boarding of Prince Takamatsu.'
This prince was the younger brother of Emperor Hirohito. Since he took up duties on
the Fuso in 1925, that date is most likely when this cup was made.
The battleship Fuso was launched in 1914 and sunk in 1944.
Named warship porcelain cup made at the famous Fukagawa kiln. The kiln mark is on the base.
Nice blue underglaze design: Mt. Fuji, a whale, and water. with gilt Navy anchor & blossom.
Inscribed: 'Navy Warship Taigei, Launching Commemorative, [Showa] 8 [1933] November 16, Yokosuka Naval Arsenal.'
The submarine tender Taigei was re-named Ryuho and converted to a light aircraft carrier in 1942.
Note that this cup is special because it was made especially for those at the launching ceremony, and it is of a high quality.
Navy porcelain cup made at the famous Fukagawa kiln. The kiln mark is on the base.
Nice blue underglaze design: two plovers (chidori, often used as a Navy symbol) and waves.
Inscribed: 'Navy Large Maneuvers Commemorative, Showa 10 [1935].'
Named warship lacquered wood cup. This is the largest of a 3-cup set. Gilt Navy anchor &
blossom in the bowl, and the three symbols of good luck (pine/bamboo/plum called
shouchikubai in Japanese) on the reverse.
Inscribed: 'Warship Atami, War Dispatch Commemorative.'
The gunboat Atami was launched in 1929 and struck from the lists in 1945. After the war
she was seized by the Chinese Navy and re-named Yung-Ping (and later re-named Wu Jian).
She was used until the 1960s.
Gilt imperial Ho-o bird and imperial paulownia crest.
Inscribed: 'Showa 3 [1928], Warship Abukuma.'
The cruiser Abukuma was launched in 1923 and struck from the lists in 1944. She
participated in the Pearl Harbor raid.
Nicely hand-painted named warship sake bottle. The name of the ship is
on the bow: Jintsu.
Inscribed: 'Navy, Discharge Commemorative, Kobayashi.'
The light cruiser Jintsu was launched in 1923 and sunk in 1943. The
painted ship looks quite similar to the actual one.
Named warship cup. No design, but the pottery is cream colored and lightly crazed.
Inscribed: 'Meiji 43 [1910] October 10, Destroyer Umikaze, Launching Commemorative.'
The Umikaze was sunk in 1930.
Lacquered wood cup with thick gold gilt insignia. Original wood box included.

Inscribed 'Volunteer Fleet, Sakura-Maru, Okayama Prefecture [Port Entry?] Commemorative.'
The volunteer fleet were merchant ships in peacetime and warships during war. The volunteer fleet was operated by the
Imperial Naval Institute, which had close ties with the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Sakura-Maru was the first ship built for
this fleet. She was completed in 1908 and was struck from all lists in 1929. You can see a description and a history of the
Sakura-Maru here, but the text is in Japanese. The first photographs on that page are of the Sakura-Maru.