Hm, kids pulling ropes? And kids with swords and helmets? Hm.
Ah, the project is to haul the big rock. And the guy up top is obviously the project lead, who’s “helping the team.” I’ve been on projects like that…
I believe these next are from the “Warring States” periods, the many civil war-type eras that the Japanese went through before being unified over the islands. Lots of swords and armor.
You don’t mess with the 3 red spot regiment!
One of the “don’t mess with me, and don’t call me fat!” men.
These guys are either more important or less bad-ass, since they’re riding…
So, the one guy in armor is looking at me and not waving anymore…
One thing about the generals or whoever they are, they were outcompeting each other on the style of helmets.
This guy’s helmet looks like a cross between a stag beetle and a deer’s antlers.
Now, once gunpowder and guns were introduced from China, the armor became less useful, and “musketeers” started showing up.
This guy’s helmet is a bit more functional
Not sure why the swords are being carried upside-down, but it’s likely symbolic.
So, this guy is rich enough to have guys carrying him, but not rich enough to ride in anything other than a bucket! (yes I see the wheels, but the other two guys are still pushing him!)
Yeah, if I was being carried for the parade I’d be happy too!
Characters from a long-running period TV show called “Mito Komon”, where the old guy is a member of the Tokugawa shogun family. You can find out more about him on Wikipedia
Characters from “Mito Komon”
Samurai from the Edo period, I think…
And now, because no one demanded it, more men in straw hats!
Due to the economic downturn, the straw hat budget was drastically cut. The stripes budget was untouched…
More later!