PHYSCIAL DESCRIPTION: The 3cm diameter medal, in bronze-washed alloy, features, to its obverse, a sixteen-petaled Imperial Chrysanthemum above an image of the sacred double bridges leading, along the right bank of the river receding in the background, to the entrance of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. To its reverse is a column of stylized kanji characters, which roughly translate as "2600th Anniversary Commemorative Medal," with an additional row of kanji characters to its base, translating as "Showa era 15th Year" (1940). The top of the medal has an extension with a perforation through it, through which passes the ribbon’s suspension ring. The watered silk ribbon, which is light blue-grey, has eight, equidistantly-spaced, thin, vertical red stripes to it, presumably symbolizing the "eight parts of one universe." An elongated, vertical alloy hook is to its top, which folds down and mates with an alloy eye sewn near the base of its reverse. Comes complete with its original presentation case. The wooden case is covered in navy blue leatherette, which also forms a hinge connecting the cover along its upper side to its base. Stamped, in silver, to the cover is the name of the award in a column of eight kanji characters, repeating that seen to the reverse of the medal.