Most viewed - Battle of Sekigahara Festival 2008 関ヶ原合戦祭り |
On Oct. 18-19, 2008, the town of Sekigahara held a special festival to commemorate the Battle of Sekigahara. The last time they did this was in 2000 for the 400th anniversary of the battle. The main venue was near the town hall.571 views
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Plastic samurai armor309 views
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A woman samurai287 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara Festival, 2008272 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu retainer at the Battle of Sekigahara Festival, 2008259 views
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Water tower painted in Sekigahara motif.258 views
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Fierce samurai241 views
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I caught one. Pure mochi (no adzuki bean paste inside). It was a very impressive and enjoyable festival.230 views
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The finale was the throwing of mochi.188 views
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Ishida Mitsunari184 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu at Sasaoyama.175 views
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A few matchlock gun battalions gathered on the Sasaoyama stage.171 views
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Load, get ready, and...157 views
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This man wore authentic samurai armor, over a century old, made of metal. A family heirloom.147 views
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Ieyasu retainer146 views
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A sword demonstration. He's cutting up a straw pole. That's one sharp knife. These people have licenses to carry these guns and swords.145 views
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The Sekigahara samurai warriors arrived Sasaoyama at noon.144 views
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And Tokugawa Ieyasu.140 views
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Ishida Mitsunari loses the battle, and is executed.140 views
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Mock combat with a spectator.139 views
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There are a number of matchlock gun battalions in Japan, and they often demonstrate the guns at festivals like this.138 views
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At 11 am, the gun battalions arrived.137 views
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This man wore newer samurai armor made of plastic.137 views
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They are all dressed in colorful samurai armor.134 views
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Ishida Mitsunari133 views
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Shimasako-nyan, a cat based on one of Ishida Mitsunari's retainers. しまさこにゃん132 views
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Ishida Mitsu-nyan, another cat, was the most popular.132 views
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A few lifesize mascots walked around the foot of Sasaoyama. This is Chacha Hime, the oldest Azai sister who became Yodogimi.131 views
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Mini banners for all the clans who battled at Sekigahara.131 views
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All these samurai were gathering at Sasaoyama for a procession to the Fureai Hiroba Square where a mock battle would be staged. This is Lord Shimazu Yoshihiro.127 views
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Ishida Mitsu-nyan and his calligraphy brush126 views
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Apparently they had women warriors too. Or maybe they did not have enough male actors to fit into the samurai costumes.125 views
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Spear-wielding women warriors (with foxy makeup on).124 views
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They get ready to fire their matchlock guns. (No bullets)123 views
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FIRE!! Those guns make a huge noise.123 views
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Smoke signal on Mt. Sasaoyama. Also notice the bell on the left.122 views
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Matchlock gun warrior122 views
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They fired the gun a few times.120 views
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Sword demo119 views
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Matchlock gun warrior posing for pictures.119 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu leaving Sasaoyama.119 views
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The Sekigahara Ondo dance was then held. 関ヶ原音頭118 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu gives commands during the Battle of Sekigahara.116 views
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Another lord dies in battle.116 views
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Banners with the crest of Ishida Mitsunari and Tokugawa Ieyasu flank the Monument for the decisive battle, near Mt. Sasaoyama, where the fighting was the fiercest. 決戦地114 views
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Ishida Mitsu-nyan goods114 views
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Ishida Mitsunari114 views
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Ishida Mitsunari113 views
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The battle ensues.113 views
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113 views
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Ishida Mitsunari posing for me. He said, "You got an unusual-looking camera." (Because I was shooting both stills and video.)112 views
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An angelic dancer then came to cover Ishida's body with a white cloth.112 views
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BOOM!!!111 views
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After the demo, they posed for pictures.111 views
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At around 12:30 pm, some of the samurai staged a mock battle at Sasaoyama.111 views
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Most of the forces who took part in the Battle of Sekigahara are represented. Banners with the lord's crest indicate who's who.111 views
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Ishida Mitsunari111 views
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It was actually kind of humorous.111 views
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Ishida's western forces ready for battle.111 views
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Ishida Mitsunari is beheaded and dies.111 views
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Monument for the decisive battle110 views
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Great photo opp.110 views
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Battle continues.110 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu at Mt. Momokubari, his base camp near the Sekigahara battlefield.109 views
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Execution of 109 views
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Ieyasu (left) and Mitsunari then walked toward each other and bowed to everyone together.109 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu109 views
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View of the Sekigahara battlefield from the top of Mt. Sasaoyama.108 views
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Sekigahara samurai warriors gather at Sasaoyama.108 views
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Bento box lunches named after Ieyasu and Hideyoshi. 1000 yen.108 views
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Ishida Mitsunari 全軍武者行列108 views
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Ishida Mitsunari spotted me and my camera and posed for me. He's a friendly guy. 108 views
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Ishida Mitsunari kneeling.108 views
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Straw pole pieces cut by a sword.107 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu107 views
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Samurai lay dead.107 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu was on one side of the field (Mt. Momokubari). The play mainly took the viewpoint of Ishida Mitsunari. 「義の人・三成〜運命の関ヶ原決戦〜」106 views
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Mt. Sasaoyama, the small hill that was Lord Ishida Mitsunari's base camp. Behind it is Mt. Ibuki.105 views
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On Oct. 19 during 10 to 11 am in the Sekigahara Fureai Center Hall, a free lecture about Ishida Mitsunari was given by a Shizuoka Univ. professor. The hall was packed.105 views
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The matchlock gun battalion arrives as well.105 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu105 views
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My lord!!105 views
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Ieyasu and his gang.104 views
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Food stalls103 views
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Stone monument on the top of Sasaoyama marking Ishida Mitsunari's base camp.103 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu103 views
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Mock battle staged during the Battle of Sekigahara Festival.103 views
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The Sekigahara Town Hall parking lots were used for flea markets, food stalls, and souvenir stands. These photos were taken on the second day of the festival when a samurai procession and mock battle were staged. 102 views
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After a brief ceremony, the samurai procession started to leave Sasaoyama at 1:30 pm. They headed for Jinbano (Fureai Hiroba Square).102 views
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The procession leaving Sasaoyama.102 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu102 views
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The troops enter town on a perfectly sunny day for a festival.102 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu 102 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu kneeling.102 views
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At the Monument for the decisive battle, one lord's troops give out a battle cry.101 views
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Ishida Mitsunari101 views
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While Ishida Mitsunari was on the stage on the other side of the field.101 views
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Top of Mt. Sasaoyama.100 views
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The foot of Sasaoyama is full of samurai and spectators.100 views
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After the hour-long play ended, a photo opp for all. Mitsunari and his gang here.100 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu never engaged in actual combat.99 views
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Ieyasu (left) and Mitsunari bowing to everyone.99 views
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Soon after the samurai procession arrived at Fureai Hiroba Square at 2 pm, a mock battle was staged in the form of a narrated outdoor play. It opened with a lady walking across the field. 関ヶ原合戦絵巻200898 views
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A total of about 130 actors/actresses took part, and 80 of them were recruited from all over Japan. A few were professional actors. The scale was much smaller than the 800 people recruited for the 400th anniversary in 2000.98 views
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Then Ieyasu's guns fired.98 views
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There were two festival venues. One was at the Fureai Hiroba Square (Jinbano) and the other was at Mt. Sasaoyama. A free shuttle bus plied between the two venues, but it was short enough to walk.97 views
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Mt. Sasaoyama had a smoke signal rising.97 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu97 views
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97 views
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People also climbed up Mt. Sasaoyama.96 views
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Lookout deck on Mt. Sasaoyama96 views
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Food and souvenir stalls at the Sasaoyama parking lot.96 views
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The smoke from the guns.96 views
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Head of the procession. Mt. Ibuki can be seen in the background.96 views
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Ishida's guns fire first.96 views
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Later, Ishida came back to life as he stood up and walked. People giggled.96 views
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Photo opp96 views
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A final salute, Ishida's forces.96 views
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Ishida's forces were on one side (seen here).95 views
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With Mt. Sasaoyama and the larger Mt. Ibuki (to which Ishida escaped after the battle) in the background, the Sekigahara samurai procession makes its way to Fureai Hiroba at the town center.94 views
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The entire play was scripted and the speaking parts were prerecorded. The actors/actresses only had to move and didn't speak. They were all prompted by script prompters (seen on lower left).94 views
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Ishida's western forces on the left, and Ieyasu's eastern forces on the right.94 views
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Climbing to the top of Mt. Sasaoyama.93 views
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Smoke signal on Mt. Sasaoyama.93 views
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A few spectators were on the route.92 views
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Ieyasu's eastern forces.92 views
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Foot of Mt. Sasaoyama91 views
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The matchlock gun battalions then appeared.90 views
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Ishida Mitsunari acting during the Battle of Sekigahara Festival89 views
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Festival banner87 views
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Foot of Mt. Sasaoyama was the other festival venue. The parking lot had food and souvenir stalls.87 views
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Near the foot of Sasaoyama is this clearing used as a stage.87 views
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