The Flag of
Yoshiharu
The Flag
of
\!voJt1Jt1e Boisclai~e
The Flag of Yoshiharu
Š 1996 by Yvonne Boisclaire All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without prior permission of the publisher. Clearwood Publishers P.O. Box 52 Bella Vista, California 96008 First Edition, 1996 Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Card Number 96-85956 ISBN 0-9649997 -1-4 Photo Credits: Hideo Tsunoi, Yokosuka, Japan Kiyotaka Shishido, Sendai, Japan Aoki Susumu, Kamakura Shinbun, Yokosuka, Japan Kumi Ushida, Sankai Press, Yokosuka, Japan Jesse Campbell, Anderson, California Larry and Yvonne Boisc1aire Art: Ruth Nakatani Cover design: Cheri McKinzie
.Ack~owled9me~ts
J
wish to extend my g ... atit~de to the following people who made this book possible:
3esse Campbell fo ... the gift of the 3apanese wa ... flagi .And ... ew aebed fo ... his inte ... p ... etation of the flag and his hand in making o~ ... jo~ ... ney to 3apan possiblei Shinichi Nishim~ ... a fo ... locating the family of \:,oshiha"'~i
Michio Takenaka, Takao Takahashi, and Takats~ki,
\:,WAM,
fo ... cons~ltation in 3apani
Kyoko t-la ... a Ame ... o fo ... cons~ltation in the LA,S'i C\eo ... ge a~nn, Lynn Doi ... on, Ch ... istine Cice ... o (CT P~blishing), alenn t-lassenpfl~g, and my da~ghte ..., \:,vette Boisclai ... e, fo ... editingi
B ...ett La ... sen and Dennis David fo ... compVlte ... SVlppO ... t;
My siste"'j Ma ... lys Ca"'V1S0nej m'y pa ... ents j 3im and Renee Mille"'i and my f ... iends RVlth Nakatanij Richa ... d Millsj and Bonnie +--Iansen fo ... encoVl ... agementi
My hVlsbandj La ......y Boisclai ... ej fo ... standing beside me each step of the way on 014'" jOVl ...ney to 3apan and fo ... his invalVlable wo ...k in editing and p ...odVlcing this book.
')!vov\V\e Boisclail"e
P"..eface
The Man \!oshiharu Tsunoi
Contrary to popular assessments in the present day western world, not all men are motivated soley by consumption, greed, sensuality, and individual rights. Some men regard the needs of others as more important than their own. They reach out to embrace a widening circle of care: family and friends; neighbors and local community; nation or groups of nations, including the global human population; the environs of the earth, its flora and fauna; and the spiritual realm encompassing our planet. These noble ones are disciples of higher laws: truth, honor, loyalty to duty, faith, hope, and love. The glitter of money, power, and materialism cannot lure the trancendent man away from the principles that guide his path.
Yoshiharu Tsunoi followed this course. He was a lover of beauty and people-a teacher, a man who knew himself and the meaning of life. Looking back on his life before 1945, we detect actions that bespeak of strong ideals. Among these faith stands out. Faith stirred Yoshiharu to leave behind a momento containing his secret message. Through it he revealed the reason for his lifestyle. He believed his message would be delivered at the appropriate time, even though he would not likely
be alive to see it happen. For faith is the acting upon one's belief in advance of witnessing the results. It is hoped this narrative will serve as an inspiration for all men and women to reach for the higher laws. In so doing we might preserve this planet called earth and its populace.
La ......):.' Boisclai ... e
Table of COl'\tel'\ts
Prologue ..... .. .. . . . .. .. ... ....... Page 15 The Homecoming ...... . ................ 19 2 The Flag ............................. 29 3 Banzai . . . ..... .. ......... . .. .. .. .... 33 4 Benjiroh's Line ..... ... ... . ... .. .. ..... 37 5 Yoshiharu .. .. ... .. .. . . ... . ...... . . .. .43 6 The Send-Off .. . .... .. . . . ..... . .. .... .49 7 Bataan . ....... . .................... .55 8 Death, Life, and the Flag .............. .. 59 9 The Mystery ..... . . . ........... .. . .... 63 10 Tapestry of God ............ . . .... . . . . .73 11 Though Dead He Speaks ... ... ....... ... 79 12 The Closure ...................... .. .. 83 Epilogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Postscript. ........ . .... ... .............. 99 Sources .... ....... . . . .. ... ............ 103
The Flag of Yoshiharu
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767.4 .B655 1996 RHC
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In 1944 a
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goodbye to his fal Islands as a draftee of the Imperial Japanese Army. With him he took a flute, a picture of his fiance, and a silk flag presented by his father, bearing the autographs of family and well-wishers. Six months later Yoshiharu lay dead in a jungle on Bataan. His story, however, was far from over. Fifty years of silence passed. Then, in a hospital in Northern California, the flag suddenly reappeared-and, with it, the beginnings of a mystery that would take nurse Yvonne Boisc1aire and the flag to Japan . There, in the rural home of Yoshiharu's younger brother, Yvonne made a startling discovery. .I
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".As many readers will recognize, the truth is often more complex and mysterious than it may at first appear. In this brilliant book, the astonishing message left by a Japanese soldier at his death 51 years ago is revealed for the first time."
Takao Takahashi Professor of Philosophy Kumamoto Univers ity Kyushu, Japan
ISBN 0-9649997-1 - 4 50895 >
9 7 80964 999718
I
$8.95