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.568 views
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Plastic samurai armor308 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, 2008258 views
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Water tower painted in Sekigahara motif.257 views
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Fierce samurai239 views
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I caught one. Pure mochi (no adzuki bean paste inside). It was a very impressive and enjoyable festival.227 views
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The finale was the throwing of mochi.188 views
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Ishida Mitsunari180 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu at Sasaoyama.174 views
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A few matchlock gun battalions gathered on the Sasaoyama stage.167 views
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Load, get ready, and...156 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 retainer145 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.143 views
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The Sekigahara samurai warriors arrived Sasaoyama at noon.141 views
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And Tokugawa Ieyasu.139 views
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Mock combat with a spectator.138 views
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Ishida Mitsunari loses the battle, and is executed.138 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.137 views
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This man wore newer samurai armor made of plastic.136 views
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At 11 am, the gun battalions arrived.135 views
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They are all dressed in colorful samurai armor.133 views
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Ishida Mitsunari132 views
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Mini banners for all the clans who battled at Sekigahara.131 views
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131 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.130 views
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Shimasako-nyan, a cat based on one of Ishida Mitsunari's retainers. しまさこにゃん130 views
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Ishida Mitsu-nyan, another cat, was the most popular.130 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.126 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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They get ready to fire their matchlock guns. (No bullets)123 views
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123 views
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Smoke signal on Mt. Sasaoyama. Also notice the bell on the left.122 views
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FIRE!! Those guns make a huge noise.122 views
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Matchlock gun warrior122 views
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Ishida Mitsu-nyan and his calligraphy brush122 views
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Spear-wielding women warriors (with foxy makeup on).122 views
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120 views
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Matchlock gun warrior posing for pictures.119 views
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119 views
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119 views
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They fired the gun a few times.118 views
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Sword demo118 views
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118 views
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The Sekigahara Ondo dance was then held. 関ヶ原音頭118 views
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116 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu leaving Sasaoyama.116 views
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115 views
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Another lord dies in battle.115 views
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114 views
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Ishida Mitsu-nyan goods113 views
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Ishida Mitsunari113 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu gives commands during the Battle of Sekigahara.113 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112 views
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Ishida Mitsunari112 views
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The battle ensues.111 views
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111 views
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An angelic dancer then came to cover Ishida's body with a white cloth.111 views
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BOOM!!!110 views
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At around 12:30 pm, some of the samurai staged a mock battle at Sasaoyama.110 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.)110 views
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It was actually kind of humorous.110 views
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110 views
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Ishida Mitsunari is beheaded and dies.110 views
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109 views
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Great photo opp.109 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.109 views
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Ishida Mitsunari109 views
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Battle continues.109 views
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Monument for the decisive battle108 views
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108 views
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After the demo, they posed for pictures.108 views
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108 views
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108 views
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Execution of 108 views
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Ieyasu (left) and Mitsunari then walked toward each other and bowed to everyone together.108 views
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Sekigahara samurai warriors gather at Sasaoyama.107 views
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Bento box lunches named after Ieyasu and Hideyoshi. 1000 yen.107 views
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Ishida Mitsunari spotted me and my camera and posed for me. He's a friendly guy. 107 views
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107 views
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Ishida's western forces ready for battle.107 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu at Mt. Momokubari, his base camp near the Sekigahara battlefield.107 views
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View of the Sekigahara battlefield from the top of Mt. Sasaoyama.106 views
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106 views
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Straw pole pieces cut by a sword.106 views
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106 views
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Ishida Mitsunari 全軍武者行列106 views
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106 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu106 views
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Samurai lay dead.106 views
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Ishida Mitsunari kneeling.106 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu106 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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The matchlock gun battalion arrives as well.104 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〜」104 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu104 views
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My lord!!104 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.103 views
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Mock battle staged during the Battle of Sekigahara Festival.103 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu102 views
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Ieyasu and his gang.102 views
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Food stalls101 views
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Stone monument on the top of Sasaoyama marking Ishida Mitsunari's base camp.101 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu101 views
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101 views
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At the Monument for the decisive battle, one lord's troops give out a battle cry.100 views
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Ishida Mitsunari100 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).100 views
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The foot of Sasaoyama is full of samurai and spectators.100 views
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100 views
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The troops enter town on a perfectly sunny day for a festival.100 views
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100 views
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100 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu kneeling.100 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. 99 views
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99 views
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99 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu 99 views
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After the hour-long play ended, a photo opp for all. Mitsunari and his gang here.99 views
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Top of Mt. Sasaoyama.98 views
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The procession leaving Sasaoyama.98 views
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98 views
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While Ishida Mitsunari was on the stage on the other side of the field.98 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu97 views
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97 views
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97 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 2000.97 views
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Ieyasu (left) and Mitsunari bowing to everyone.97 views
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The smoke from the guns.96 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu never engaged in actual combat.96 views
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Then Ieyasu's guns fired.96 views
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A final salute, Ishida's forces.96 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.95 views
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95 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200895 views
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95 views
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Lookout deck on Mt. Sasaoyama94 views
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Food and souvenir stalls at the Sasaoyama parking lot.94 views
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Ishida's guns fire first.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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Mt. Sasaoyama had a smoke signal rising.93 views
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People also climbed up Mt. Sasaoyama.93 views
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Ishida's forces were on one side (seen here).93 views
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93 views
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Later, Ishida came back to life as he stood up and walked. People giggled.93 views
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Photo opp93 views
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Smoke signal on Mt. Sasaoyama.92 views
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Head of the procession. Mt. Ibuki can be seen in the background.92 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).92 views
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92 views
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92 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.91 views
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Ieyasu's eastern forces.91 views
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Climbing to the top of Mt. Sasaoyama.90 views
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A few spectators were on the route.90 views
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90 views
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Foot of Mt. Sasaoyama88 views
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The matchlock gun battalions then appeared.88 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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Ishida Mitsunari acting during the Battle of Sekigahara Festival87 views
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Festival banner86 views
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Near the foot of Sasaoyama is this clearing used as a stage.86 views
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85 views
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