“The Western image of Japanese soldiers drinking Sake before an important battle is part of the legends of World War 2. However, this book seeks to dismiss some of the more “myths” and replace them with harder “facts”. This interesting tome details the history of these relatively small items and their associated bottles and trays. These cups were produced for a variety of reasons such as being “called-up”, commemorative cups for promotions, special events, homecoming and home leave. The array of reasons why they were produced is astounding and certainly unlike the Western myth of Japanese servicemen drinking their last drink before battle or Kamikaze attack. These cups were an indispensable part of Japanese military culture and this superb book de-mythises them. This must be the leading book on military Sake cups in the English language. If you want to know more about this topic then this book is the reference book to buy. It will certainly start you on voyage of discovery and I am very confident that you will be happy that this new discovery has started. Finally, the author must be thanked for producing this English language publication on a subject that would not otherwise be available in English.” Dr Stuart C Blank, www.MilitaryArchiveResearch.com July 2018