"Yuki no Shingun" (雪の進軍, The Snowy March) is a Japanese gunka composed in 1895 by Imperial Japanese Army musician Nagai Kenshi who reflected his experience in the Battle of Weihaiwei during the First Sino-Japanese War.
During the Battle of Weihaiwei, the Imperial Japanese Army experienced heavy snow and low temperature, while being under-equipped with water, food and fuel. Nagai reflected in his song the hardship Japanese soldiers experienced and their discontentment about the war. The song, which was popular at the time of its publication and is described by scholars to have an upbeat melody, was said to be favored by Ōyama Iwao. It was also taught and sung in Japanese schools during the late Meiji period.
Nagai's song was later widely referred to by soldiers during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War. The discontentment about the war and sacrificial theme expressed in the song were viewed as antagonistic to Japanese militarism and was prohibited by the Imperial Japanese Army, though the effectiveness of the order was in doubt.
Lyrics:
Yuki no singun kori wo funde
Dore ga kawa yara michi sae shirezu
Uma wa taoreru sutete mo okezu
Koko wa izukuzo mina teki mo kuni
Mama yo daitan ippuku yareba
Tanomisukuna ya tabako ga nihon
Yaka nu himo no ni han ni e meshini
Namaji inochi no aru sono uchi wa
Korae kire nai samusa no takibi
Kemure hazu da yo namaki ga iburu
Shibui kao shite koumyou banashi
Sui toyuu no wa umeboshi hitotsu
Kinomikinomama kiraku na fushido
Hainou-makura ni gaitou kaburya
Se na no nuku mi de yuki doke kakaru
Yagu no ki bigara seiippori nurete
Musubi kane taru roei no yume o
Tsuki wa tsumetaku kao no zokikomu
Inochi sasagete dete ki ta mi yue
Shinu ru kakugo de tokkan suredo
Uun tsutana ku uchijini se niba
Giri ni karame ta juppei mawata
Soro ri sororito ku bi shime kakaru
Douse ikitewa kaera nu tsumori
I´m not the original author of this video, all the credits go to FBIV.