Japan, from Flags of All Nations, Series 1 (N9) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

This late 19th-century chromolithograph by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes presents the flag of Japan, a stark white field dominated by a crimson disc. Known as Hinomaru, this solar symbol embodies the sun goddess Amaterasu, a deity central to Shinto belief and the imperial house’s divine lineage. The sun as a symbol is far from isolated to Japan. We find solar motifs throughout history, from ancient Egyptian sun gods to the ubiquitous sunbursts of European heraldry. In each instance, the sun carries associations of power, divinity, and renewal. Yet, in Japan, this symbol bears an unbroken lineage to the nation's foundation myths, providing a potent source of identity and pride. It represents the emotional and psychological connection to the homeland. Consider how this simple yet powerful symbol—a red disc on white—has persisted, evolving through cultural and political shifts. The cyclical nature of symbols reveals how cultural memory is never truly lost, but constantly resurfaces, transformed by the currents of history.