Military banner (shihanbata) with crest of character three on Shinto offering stand

Battle flags were used by samurai to identify their troops when engaged in battle or in processions. This banner is made of silk and reinforced with horizontal stitches. The corners are strengthened with leather patches. The large diamond-shaped family crest, which contains the character "three" in the center, is made of gold foil, which is sewn to the silk ground by small stitches. The now-faded silk is a salmon color, but originally it was dyed a bright red.
The family associated with this banner may be one of the three daimyo (local feudal lords) families with the surname Inaba who resided in Usuki in Bungo (now Oita prefecture), in Tateyama in Awa (now Tokushima prefecture), and in Yodo in Yamashiro (now Fushimi-ku, Kyoto).