Here is a collection of images of medals from around the world. I hope you enjoy them - some will be familiar, some you may never have seen before. I have tried to make it as comprehensive as possible - hence sometimes I'll list a medal although I don't have a picture of it
Japan: Order of the Rising Sun
Some people may feel the issuing of decorations to be an old and obscure tradition. However, awards in the form of decorations, medals and honors serve to offer national recognition of the achievements of people of merit. As the mass media give wide coverage to the conferring of awards and medals in the spring and autumn and of culture awards, no doubt many people are aware of these honors. The Cabinet office, in surveying, researching and planning for the awards system, is responsible for administrative aspects of the judging and the conferring of awards in general.
Decoration Bureau
