More translation help requested.

[opr1945]

I came across this patch. The 3 characters in the middle look similar to a karate do patch I have except the middle charter is slightly different?

What do the the characters in the outer circle say in English? Thank you.

 

[opr1945]

I found some of the characters translation.

The middle characters that are similar to Karate Do but the midle one is different
= True Bushido

character at 12:00 o'clock = So Brave

Character at 7:00 o'clock =Loyalty

Character at 11:00 o'clock = Thank You

Unknown character at 1:00 o'clock = might be part of 12:00 phrase or unknown

Unknown characters at 3 & 4:00 o'clock = unknown

Unknown character at 9:00 o'clock = unknown

any one on the unknown ones??

 

[Same Trick]

Lucky it’s just patches and not tattoos

 

[opr1945]

bingo

 

[Chris Parker]

I came across this patch. The 3 characters in the middle look similar to a karate do patch I have except the middle charter is slightly different?

What do the the characters in the outer circle say in English? Thank you.

Hmm, I'm a little surprised these haven't been identified yet...

I found some of the characters translation.

Let's see...

The middle characters that are similar to Karate Do but the midle one is different
= True Bushido

No, it just say's "Bushido". The characters are "Bu" - Military/Martial (武), "Shi" - Gentleman/Warrior (士), "Do" - Path/Way (道). That's the middle of the wappan (badge), of course... the other is simply "Karate-do" (空手道).

character at 12:00 o'clock = So Brave

Character at 7:00 o'clock =Loyalty

Character at 11:00 o'clock = Thank You

Unknown character at 1:00 o'clock = might be part of 12:00 phrase or unknown

Unknown characters at 3 & 4:00 o'clock = unknown

Unknown character at 9:00 o'clock = unknown

any one on the unknown ones??

The ones surrounding the badge are the 7 virtues of Bushido (from the left side, clockwise):
Rectitude/Gi (義). A sense of justice.
Respect/Rei (礼). A sense of propriety and manners, as well as etiquette.
Truth/Shin (真). Correct and proper behaviour. Also often rendered as Makoto/Honesty (誠).
Courage/Yuki (勇). Bravery in the face of adversity.
Benevolence/Jin (仁). Acting with mercy and compassion.
Honour/Meiyo (名誉). Preserving your own sense of pride and place in society.
Loyalty/Chugi (忠義). To those around you, most of all your seniors.

Of course, the thing to be aware of is that this whole idea of Bushido, these 7 aspects of it, and so on, are very much a modern construct with very little historical antecedents or relevance to the actual samurai and historical Japanese warriors. It was put forth by Inazo Nitobe, a Japanese Quaker ex-patriat living in Canada in the early 20th Century, who was looking for a way to promote his native culture, and wrote a book called "Bushido: The Soul of Japan", which fused some Japanese concepts with Western Judeo-Christian morals and ideals... it was then further corrupted and mutated for use in WWII propaganda... still, some interesting ideas to consider.