Houseflags of Japanese shipping companies

On the homepage of Tabuchi Kaiun Co., Ltd – a Japanese shipping company established at Tokyo – we see the house flag as a drawing and, I gather, flying over the firm’s headquarters on a photo.

Unfortunately there does not seem to be an English version yet so this little report will remain very little indeed. All I have been able to discover is that Tabuchi Kaiun transports LPG and cement – and sponsors the 14th Osaka European Film Festival held in November 2007

The house flag is horizontally divided White-Red-Blue-White.
Jan Mertens, 28 April 2007

Taihei Kisen K.K.

image by Phil Nelson
Source: Flags, Funnels and Hull Colours, 1963 [ste63]

Taihei Kisen K.K. The Tokyo company which ceased about the early 1960s.
Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2003

Taiko Kaiun K.K.

image by Jarig Bakker, 7 December 2005
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]

Tokyo - blue flag, two narrow horizontal white stripes, interrupted by white "T" outlined blue.
Jarig Bakker, 7 December 2005

Taiyo Gyogyo K.K.

image by Jarig Bakker, 30 August 2005
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]

Tokyo - white flag, red circle containing a character in red.
Jarig Bakker, 30 August 2005

Taiyo Kisen K.K.

image by Jarig Bakker, 9 October 2005
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]

Osaka. Seven stripes of red and white; in the center of the top 4 stripes a white upsidedown "Y".
Jarig Bakker, 9 October 2005

The Taiyo Kisen K.K. flag is a horizontal multiband of 4 red and 3 white with the middle white forking up in the centre to reach the top of the upper white band and from this point extending to the flag chief as a vertical white band. This is a popular name and through various editions of Lloyds I have found some 12 allegedly different companies since the 1950s. It probably relates to the company still operating based in Osaka formed in 1950 but apparently a Japanese book domiciles the company in Tokyo and it may therefore apply to one of the small companies recorded over time as being based in that port.
Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2003

Taiyo Shipping

Taiyo Shipping (website in Japanese), established at Kita-ku, Osaka.

The house flag is shown as a drawing - in a sketchy fashion. The firm is listed as a member of the Sumitomo Osaka Cement Group.

The ships operated by Taiyo look rather specialized – cement carriers it seems. In any case the firm is active in coastal shipping only as evidenced by a map showing connections to and from ports on the four major Japanese islands.

The house flag - in colour – is seen here together with the green cross on white (safety?).

A White field, blue ring with three short intersecting stripes, also blue, placed at 2 o’clock, 6 o’ clock, and 10 o’clock positions; within the ring, slightly lowered, red serifed initials ‘TKK’.
Jan Mertens, 26 October 2007

Tochiki Kisen Co., Ltd

Tochiki Kisen Co., Ltd established at Tokyo, homepage at http://www.tochikikisen.com/.

The firm was founded in 1901. Besides shipping there are logistic activities including, surprisingly, airship operations.

House flag in the national colours (drawing) on the mark page.

A White field with red ring containing two horizontal stripes, also red.
Jan Mertens, 13 June 2007

Toko Kaiun K.K.

image by Jarig Bakker, 1 November 2005
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]