Antique Imperial Japanese Army Aizu 19th Infantry Regiment Discharge Album 1926
This is an extremely rare discharge commemorative photo album from November 1926 (Taisho 15), issued to members of the 11th Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, based in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan. The 19th Infantry Regiment-often called the “Wakamatsu Regiment”-was a regional unit of the Imperial Japanese Army’s elite 2nd Division, with a deep connection to the samurai legacy of Aizu, one of the last strongholds of the Tokugawa shogunate. This album contains 13 pages of original photographs, showing military exercises, formal group portraits, and everyday life of the soldiers shortly before their honorable discharge. The Wakamatsu Regiment carries profound historical weight. By the 1920s, the regiment was stationed in its home region and served as a symbol of local pride and military tradition. Discharge albums like this were never mass-produced-they were made in limited quantities, often commissioned by the soldiers themselves or their company officers, and distributed only to members of the unit. This book is not just a photo album-it is a rare, original artifact from a bygone era of Imperial Japan. Date: November 1926 (Taisho 15). Unit: 11th Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division. Region: Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture. Studio: Sankokan Studio (official supplier to the Imperial Japanese Army). Content: 13 pages of photographs (including group shots, drills, shipboard scenes, and artillery practice). Language: Japanese captions, some pages with English translations. Condition: Good considering its age; please see photos for details. Why It’s Special. Imperial Army-approved photography studio. Official discharge commemorative piece-not for public distribution. Ties to Aizu samurai tradition and Meiji/Taisho military heritage. Unique insight into the life of pre-WW2 Japanese infantry. Own a Piece of History. This photo album brings you closer to the real men who stood at the crossroads of Japan’s military tradition and modernization. Approximate 7-21days(To USA).
