"100 Views of Great Tokyo in the Shōwa Era" by Koizumi Kishio / kk026_1932_w079_regiment |
The early months of 1932 were filled with militaristic and imperialistic activities: the bombing of Shanghai, the
establishment of Manchoukuo (formerly Manchuria) as a Japanese puppet state, and political assassination.
An image of the military compound, located near the imperial Palace, would therefore have been oddly
appropriate at the time. Koizumi depicts the headquarters of the Third Infantry Regiment of the First Division,
where Prince Chichibu, brother of Emperor Hirohito, served. The Third Regiment achieved notoriety for the role
some of the men played in the attempted coup d'etat on 26 February 1936.
The Third Regiment Headquarters at Azabu (#26), May 1932
The Wolfsonian–FIU, Miami Beach, FL, The Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. Collection |
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