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250px Flag ratio: 2:3The national flag of Japan, known as the Nisshohki (日章旗) or Hinomaru (日の丸 "sun disc") in Japanese, is a base white flag with a large red disc (representing the sun) in the centre. A legend says that its origins lie in the days of Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century, when the Buddhist priest Nichiren was supposed to have offered the sun disc flag to the Emperor of Japan, who was considered a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. In fact the sun disc symbol is known to have been displayed on folding fans carried in the 12th century by samurai involved in the feud between the Taira and Minamoto clans. It was widely used on military banners in the Sengoku ("Warring States") period of the 15th and 16th centuries. Subsequent Shogunates established it as the flag to be flown from Japanese ships.
By the time of the Meiji RestorationThe Meiji Restoration (; Meiji Ishin , also known as the Meiji Ishin Meiji Revolution or Renewal describes a chain of events that led to a change in Japan's political and social structure; it occurred from 1866 to 1869, a period of 4 years that transverse of 1868Events January 3 Meiji Emperor declares " Meiji Restoration", his own restoration to full power, against the supporters of the Tokugawa Shogunate. January 10 Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu declares emperor's declaration "illegal" and attacks Kyoto. Pro-Emperor, it came to be regarded as the national flagA national flag is a flag which symbolises a country and which can usually be flown by citizens of that country. Both public and private buildings such as schools and courthouses often fly the national flag. In some countries the national flags are only f. Though the sun disc design was officially adopted for use in naval flags in 1870Events January 6 The inauguration of the Musikverein ( Vienna). January 10 John D. Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil January 15 A political cartoon for the first time symbolizes the United States Democratic Party with a donkey ("A Live Jackass Kicking, it was not formally adopted as the national flag until August 13August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. Events 1500-1899 1521 Tenochtitlan (present day Mexico City) falls to conquistador Hernan Cortes 1704 War of the Spanish Succession: Battle of, 1999For the album by Prince, see 1999 (album 1999 is a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the UN. Events Kosovo War Former child star Gary Coleman files for bankruptcy Y2K prep by a decree that also confirmed its exact dimensions: the flag has a vertical-to-horizontal ratio of 2:3 with the disc, the diameter of which is three-fifths of the flag's vertical height, at the exact center. A well known variant is the sun disc with 16 red rays which was historically the flag for use in Japan's military, in particular the navy until the end of World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough. It is now used again as Japan's naval ensign.
In Western heraldry, it could be blazoned Argent, a torteau or Argent, a roundel gules.
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