Uniforms of the Japanese Navy

When Japan began to build and man her modern navy she derived much early training and experience from the British Navy, which was then as now, the largest of the world’s navies.

As a result the uniforms of both the officers and men of the Japanese Navy are similar in most respects to those of the British Navy. The principal difference is that the Japanese naval officers’ undress or service uniform coat is a single-breasted blouse with standing collar similar to that worn by officers of the United States Navy, the collar and edges being trimmed with black braid.

In the insignia of the Japanese Navy the cherry blossom usually takes the place where the crown appears in the British naval insignia, as may be seen by reference to the illustrations.

The uniforms for both officers and enlisted men are of dark blue cloth for full dress and dress uniforms, the undress or service uniform being of dark blue cloth for winter wear and of white cotton duck or linen for wear in hot weather.

The rank of officers is indicated by stripes around the sleeves above the cuff on the blue uniforms and by shoulder straps on the white service uniform.

The sleeve stripes are of gold lace braid for full dress and dress coats and of black braid for the blue service coat.

The number, width and arrangement of the sleeve stripes for the different ranks are as shown in the accompanying [illustration].

The corps or branch of the service to which an officer belongs is shown by the circular curl above the upper stripe for officers of the Line, and by stripes of colored cloth between the rank stripes for the officers of the Staff Corps, the distinctive colors for the various corps being as follows:—

Engineer CorpsPurple.

(The officers of the Engineer Corps also wear the curl above the upper rank stripe, officers of the other Staff Corps do not wear the curl.)
Medical CorpsRed.
Engineer ConstructorsBrown.
Ordnance ConstructorsMaroon.
Paymaster CorpsWhite.
Hydrographic CorpsLight blue.
Chief Carpenter (warrant officers)Green.
Bandmasters (warrant officers)Gray.

These distinctive colors for officers of the different Staff Corps are also worn around the bands of the caps.

Japanese Navy. Officers’ sleeve decorations indicating rank

1. Admiral2. Vice Admiral3. Rear Admiral
4. Captain5. Commander6. Lt. Commander
7. Lieutenant8. Sub Lt., 1st Class9. Sub Lt., 2nd Class
10. Midshipman11. Warrant Officer, Line12. Warrant Officer, Engineers

Japanese Navy. Officers’ shoulder straps showing rank,
summer service uniform

1. Admiral2. Vice Admiral
3. Rear Admiral4. Captain
5. Commander6. Lt. Commander
7. Lieutenant8. Sub Lt., 1st Class
9. Sub Lt., 2nd Class10. Chief Warrant Officer
11. Warrant Officer12. Midshipman

The rank or rating of enlisted men who are petty officers or who are assigned to special duties is shown by distinctive marks worn on the left sleeve of the coat or overshirt; the principal ones being:—

SeamanAn anchor.
WritersA writing brush.
Hospital CorpsA pair of forceps.
FiremenA double pipe spanner.
Carpenter’s Mate An axe.
StewardsA key.
MusiciansA lyre.