Silver-gilt-edged white enamel eight-pointed star composed of thirty-two narrow double-pointed rays surrounding a circular red glass cabochon, the whole representing the radiant rising sun, on green and mauve enamel swivel pauwlonia crest suspension with three leaves and three stems of five, seven and five flowers; the reverse identical but with the suspension inscribed with four characters meaning ‘Order of Merit Decoration’; on original ribbon with rosette denoting an award of the 4th class and with hook and eye fittings.
The Order of the Rising Sun was Japan’s first decoration, being instituted by Council of State Decree on 10 April 1875 in eight classes to reward both military and civilian merit, the class awarded depending upon the rank of the recipient.
The six most senior classes are named ‘Kyokujitsu-sho’ in Japanese, usually translated as ‘Order of the Rising Sun’ in English. The seventh and eighth classes, were named ‘to-yo-sho’ in Japanese, meaning ‘paulownia leaves medal’, the seventh class being known as the Order of the Green Paulownia Leaves and the eighth - in plain silver – as the Order of the White Paulownia Leaves.
In 2003, the Order was comprehensively revised, the six higher classes being renamed, women being admitted to the Order and the seventh and eight classes abolished.
A superb example.