As promised, here are some more pictures from the Asakusa matsuri parade of historic (and fictional) people in the clothes from those times.
[one_half]Hm, kids pulling ropes? And kids with swords and helmets? Hm.[/one_half][one_half_last]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…[/one_half_last]
[one_half]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.[/one_half][one_half_last]You don’t mess with the 3 red spot regiment![/one_half_last]
[one_half]One of the “don’t mess with me, and don’t call me fat!” men.[/one_half][one_half_last]These guys are either more important or less bad-ass, since they’re riding…[/one_half_last]
[one_half]So, the one guy in armor is looking at me and not waving anymore…[/one_half][one_half_last]One thing about the generals or whoever they are, they were outcompeting each other on the style of helmets.[/one_half_last]
[one_half]This guy’s helmet looks like a cross between a stag beetle and a deer’s antlers.[/one_half][one_half_last]Now, once gunpowder and guns were introduced from China, the armor became less useful, and “musketeers” started showing up.[/one_half_last]
[one_half]This guy’s helmet is a bit more functional[/one_half][one_half_last]Not sure why the swords are being carried upside-down, but it’s likely symbolic.[/one_half_last]
[one_half]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!)[/one_half][one_half_last]Yeah, if I was being carried for the parade I’d be happy too![/one_half_last]
[one_half]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[/one_half][one_half_last]Characters from “Mito Komon”[/one_half_last]
[one_half]Samurai from the Edo period, I think…[/one_half][one_half_last][/one_half_last]
And now, because no one demanded it, more men in straw hats!
[one_half]Due to the economic downturn, the straw hat budget was drastically cut. The stripes budget was untouched…[/one_half][one_half_last][/one_half_last]
