Neat IJA photo

**tomp** · 03-08-2021, 08:48 PM

I recently picked up this photo of what looks like four convalescing soldiers, all from the 16th Division. What is neat about this photo is two fold. 1) Three of the soldiers in the photo each come from the three infantry regiments of the 16th Division: The 20th, the 33rd, and the 9th Inf. Regiments. There is a rando from the 16th Transportation Regiment to round out the group. And 2) The guy from the 20th Inf. Regt. (if I am following the arrows on the back in the description correctly) has an ID tag sewn onto his belt. I have only seen a handful of ID tag pics. out there, and have three pictured examples myself. Two of the three I own show the tag sewn to the belt. If anyone has period pictures of tags on belts or exposed tags in general, I would be interested in seeing them. Thanks!

**Rescue190** · 03-08-2021, 08:52 PM

Very nice item. Thanks for sharing the pic and the knowledge.
John

**ghp95134** · 03-08-2021, 09:21 PM

Tom,

Do you know anything about that belt? It might signify the wearer is a kyoshi-rank in (probably) jukenjutsu. It's not the standard "taiso bando" because of the single, wide, leather billet; normal taisobando had two thinner billets.

練士 Renshi = two red stripes
教士 Kyoshi = three red stripes
範士 Hanshi = four red stripes

At least that is the post-war system.

-- Guy