| DIFFERENT STYLES The cups here don't really fit on any existing page. No unified theme, just some interesting examples. Click here to see more cups. |
| Strange embossed whistling cups from the 36th Infantry. Dated Showa 2 [1928]. |
| Usual pattern except for the bugle, which is rarely found on sake cups |
| Military cup with demon-face reverse |
| Superb cup showing people at a festival, perhaps, or in a parade. The characters say 'Banzai to the Empire!' |
| Superb lacquered wood sake cup. The gold gilt pattern has a combat helmet and samurai sword. Also some cherry blossoms. Included is the original thin cardboard box, which isn't in great condition, but the maker's label is still there (reads FOR ARMY USE) and the original paper wrapper is here, too (reads WOOD COMMEMORATIVE SAKE CUP). The characters on the reverse of the cup read 'China Incident Commemorative, 9th Transport'. |
| Tripartite Pact Commemorative. Not a sake cup, but this is so rare I'd thought I'd post it for you all to see. I think it's a candy dish. (It is possible that this is a post-war reproduction.) |
| A wonderful and historic sake cup set from Imperial Japan. These are from the famous Kashihara Jingu (Shrine) in Nara Prefecture. This shrine was established in 1890 and is now a popular sight for the right-wing nationalists. These cups were made in 1940, a date set aside by the Japanese government as the Foundation of the Empire day, dating back 2600 years to the mythical Emperor Jimmu. Anyway, in 1940, a nationwide attempt at encouraging the war effort saw celebrations all over the place, and Emperor Hirohito himself attended one of the celebrations at Kashihara Jingu. These cups were made to commemorate that event. The design has large kanji in the bowl, which read, 'The Founding of the Empire, Holy Ground, Kashihara'. Around the rim are little symbols, probably kamon. On the reverses are leaves. Each cup has a different color rim, but the inscriptions are the same. The original cardboard box label reads, 'Founding of the Empire Sake Cups, Kashihara Jingu.' Marked 'Founding of the Empire Pottery' in the bases. |
| Strange embossed whistling cup from the Imperial Navy. |
| Very rare Yosekaki flag cup. In practice, Japanese soldiers were given a silk or cloth flag signed by friends and family. He would then take it with him to battle. This cup has a flag like that; these rarely appear on sake cups for some unknown reason. The phrases on this flag are: 'The Glory of the Country, Banzai to the Japanese Empire, Complete Victory' See the TRANSPORT UNIT page for another example with a slightly different inscription. |
| The inscription reads, 'Graduation Commemorative' so it could be a school logo. Anybody know what the moth represents? |
| Boshin War (1869) 50th Anniversary cup. Very rare to find any commemorative item referring to this civil war. Pewter. |
| Pewter cup with handgun and sword. Although rifles are often found on cups, handguns are not. |
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