{"product_id":"standard-of-the-vice-minister-of-defense-of-japan-japan-white-coffee-mug","title":"Standard of the Vice Minister of Defense of Japan (Japan) White Coffee Mug","description":"\u003ch1\u003eStandard of the Vice Minister of Defense of Japan (Japan) White Coffee Mug\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis design presents the official standard of the Vice Minister of Defense of Japan: four cherry blossoms arranged on a single solid field of colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eVisual Elements \u0026amp; Composition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA solid, saturated ground fills the whole image, with no texture or shading to break it up. Four cherry blossoms sit across it in a symmetrical, evenly spaced row, drawn as simple flat shapes that read clearly at a glance. The arrangement is minimal: colour and the blossoms do all the work, and there is no border or secondary ornament to pull the eye away. The flat, high-contrast treatment gives the piece a formal, almost graphic character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eMeaning \u0026amp; Symbolism\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cherry blossom, or sakura, is among the most significant motifs in Japanese culture and the national flower of Japan. Here it marks an office of government and defence, and the four blossoms identify the standard used by the Vice Minister of Defense. The design was adopted in 1972 and remains the current standard for the position within the Japanese Ministry of Defense, so it belongs to a living institution rather than to a historical period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eShaped for the Hand\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA design this direct suits a mug, where the artwork is seen up close and turned as you lift the cup. Turning the mug brings the blossoms round one by one, and the symmetry means each view holds together. Set on a desk or counter, the solid colour makes the cup stand out as a single, deliberate object.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Go Mug Yourself","offers":[{"title":"11oz","offer_id":51729850138904,"sku":"16167456453647182489","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"15oz","offer_id":51729850171672,"sku":"25956606107773724985","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0703\/5204\/4312\/files\/standard-of-the-vice-minister-of-defense-of-japan-japan-white-coffee-mug-11oz-position1.webp?v=1772554552","url":"https:\/\/gomugyourself.com\/products\/standard-of-the-vice-minister-of-defense-of-japan-japan-white-coffee-mug","provider":"Go Mug Yourself","version":"1.0","type":"link"}