Battōtai (song)
| English: Drawn-Sword Regiment | |
|---|---|
March of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (as the "Army March") | |
| Lyrics | Toyama Masakazu, 1882 |
| Music | Charles Leroux, 1887 |
| Published | 1887 |
| Audio sample | |
Recording made on August 8, 1939, by the Imperial Japanese Army Band conducted by Ōnuma Satoru. The B and C sections of the march use the "Battōtai" melody.
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"Battōtai" (抜刀隊; lit. 'Drawn-Sword Regiment') is a Japanese gunka composed by Charles Leroux in 1887. Its lyrics were originally written as a poem by Toyama Masakazu in 1882. The song was based on the Battle of Tabaruzaka, and the poem that made up the lyrics was inspired by the 1854 English poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade". A variation of the song, titled "Army March," has served as the march of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force since 2007.