Reposted from the Aikido Sangenkai Facebook page with the kind permission of Christopher Li Sensei. This article is part of the “Exploring Historical Photos” series, produced in collaboration between Aiki-wiki and Aikido Sangenkai.

“As the rising sun melts thinly frozen ice, so the Japanese Army is overcoming Chinese troops.”

Field Marshal Shunroku Hata (left), commander-in-chief of the China Expeditionary Army, with Hisaichi Terauchi (right) commander of the Southern Expeditionary Army (responsible for the occupation of Southeast Asia). Xuzhou, China – 1938.

Yoshinkan Aikido Founder Gozo Shioda served as a secretary to Shunroku Hata in China, and the Field Marshall visited Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba‘s Kobukan Dojo. Read about that visit in “Mr. Kimura’s Aikido Memories, Part 2” on the Aikido Sangenkai blog:

https://www.aikidosangenkai.org/blog/kimura-aikido-memories-part-2/