List of Japanese flags


This is a list of Japanese flags, past and present. Historically, each daimyō had his own flag. ''''

National flags

FlagDateUseDescription
Since 13 August 1999Civil and state flag and ensign of Japan.Flag ratio: 2:3. This flag was designated by Proclamation No. 127, 1999. The sun-disc is perfectly centered and is a brighter shade of red.
27 February 187012 August 1999Civil and state flag and ensign of the Empire of Japan, and the Japanese state.Flag ratio: 7:10. Disc is shifted 1% towards the hoist. This flag was designated by Proclamation No. 57, 1870.

Imperial flags

Governmental flags

Military flags

Self-Defense Force and Imperial Army/Navy

Japan Coast Guard

Historical flags

Daimyō Flags

Flags attributed to Japanese Daimyo in the Kaei period.

Daimyō Banners present in old paintings

Minorities

Cultural flags

Prefectural flags

Each modern prefecture has a unique flag, most often a bicolour geometric highly stylised design, often incorporating the letters of Japanese writing system and resembling company logos. A distinct feature of these flags is that they use a palette of colours not usually found in flags, including orange, purple, aquamarine and brown.
Some prefectures also have alternative official flags called "symbol flags". They may be used on less formal occasions. Famous symbol flags include the one used in Tokyo.
FlagPrefectureGeocode
AichiJP-23
AkitaJP-05
AomoriJP-02
ChibaJP-12
EhimeJP-38
FukuiJP-18
FukuokaJP-40
FukushimaJP-07
GifuJP-21
GunmaJP-10
HiroshimaJP-34
HokkaidoJP-01
HyōgoJP-28
IbarakiJP-08
IshikawaJP-17
IwateJP-03
KagawaJP-37
KagoshimaJP-46
KagoshimaJP-46
KanagawaJP-14
KōchiJP-39
KumamotoJP-43
KyotoJP-26
MieJP-24
MiyagiJP-04
MiyazakiJP-45
NaganoJP-20
NagasakiJP-42
NaraJP-29
NiigataJP-15
ŌitaŌitaJP-44
OkayamaJP-33
OkinawaJP-47
ŌsakaJP-27
SagaJP-41
SaitamaJP-11
ShigaJP-25
ShimaneJP-32
ShizuokaJP-22
TochigiJP-09
TokushimaJP-36
TokyoJP-13
TokyoJP-13
TottoriJP-31
ToyamaJP-16
WakayamaJP-30
YamagataJP-06
YamaguchiJP-35
YamanashiJP-19

Municipal flags

Most municipalities have unique flags. Like prefectural flags, most of them are with a bicolour geometric highly stylized symbol, often incorporating Japanese characters.

Political flags