This is a set of 3 antique Japanese military sake cups, decorated each with a 4th class medal of the Order of Rising Sun. The plant on the back of the medal are different for each cup - the smallest is pine, middle one is bamboo, and the largest cup is plum blossom - the three plants are the "three gentlemen" that represent three virtues of a gentleman. The words on the back of each of the cup are "Yokohama Specie Bank Banzai". The bank played an important part in trade with China. During WW2 it facilitated payment to the IJA soldiers in the China theater, and it took over assets from a number of banks in occupied territories like Hong Kong and Indochina working closely with the military. For this work the bank was dissolved in 1945 by the GHQ after the surrender.

Condition: The two smaller cups are in mint condition. The biggest cup has a crack at around 9 o'clock

Size: 3.5", 4.25", 5" across