Sadao Araki
Honjō was born into a farming family in Hyōgo prefecture, and attended military preparatory schools as a youth. He graduated from the 9th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1897, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry. Among his classmates were future Prime Minister Abe Nobuyuki, and generals Sadao Araki and Iwane Matsui. In 1902 he graduated from the 19th class of the Army Staff College.