Asia · Central disc
How to draw the flag of Japan
The flag of Japan is a single disc on a plain field in white and red. It flies at a ratio of 2:3.
Step by step
- Start with the right shape. Japan flies at 2:3 — for every 3 units of width the flag is 2 tall. Sketch that rectangle first; a flag drawn too square is the fastest way to lose layout points.
- Block in the background. Fill the whole flag with white first, then build the rest on top of it. Working from the largest area to the smallest keeps the proportions honest.
- Add the red. A single disc on a plain field. Place these shapes by eye against the edges of the flag, not against each other.
- Finish with the centred disc. Detail is the last ten percent of the score, so leave it until the colour blocks are down. Size and position count for more than drawing every line of it.
Japan flag colours
The colour codes below are the ones to reach for if you are recreating the flag digitally.
| Colour | Hex | RGB |
|---|---|---|
| White | #FFFFFF | rgb(255, 255, 255) |
| Red | #BC002D | rgb(188, 0, 45) |
What the flag means
The Hinomaru — the sun disc — refers to Japan as the land of the rising sun.
Common mistakes
- Making the disc too small, or drawing it in bright fire-engine red. The disc is three fifths of the flag height, dead centre, in a deep crimson.
- Watch out for Bangladesh and Palau — they are close enough to Japan that people draw the wrong one from memory.
A trick for remembering it
One circle, centred, big — if it looks too big it is probably right.
Flags that look like this one
Side-by-side breakdowns of the pairs people mix up:
Questions about the Japan flag
What colours are on the flag of Japan?
Japan uses 2 colours: white (#FFFFFF), red (#BC002D).
What are the proportions of the Japan flag?
It flies at 2:3 (height to width). Drawing it at the wrong shape is one of the quickest ways to lose layout marks in the game.
What does the Japan flag mean?
The Hinomaru — the sun disc — refers to Japan as the land of the rising sun.
Which flags look like the Japan flag?
Bangladesh, Palau. Watch out for Bangladesh and Palau — they are close enough to Japan that people draw the wrong one from memory.
How hard is the Japan flag to draw from memory?
PlayVexle rates it 1 out of 5. Flat colour blocks and no fine detail, so most players score in the eighties or nineties.
