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Tokyo Jidai Matsuri, Nov. 3More pictures here
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Sumo tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center in Nov.
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Hikone Gun Battalion dressed like Ii Clan samurai with their trademark red armor nicknamed "Red Devils."
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Ii clan warriors
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The matchlock guns make a huge bang.
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Fireman's ladder acrobatics
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Daimyo's wife is one of the main characters in the procession.
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Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu Procession on Nov. 3
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Daimyo's palanquin, however, I don't think anyone was in it. They never opened it.
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Hanada Masaru, former Yokozuna Wakanohana acting as the daimyo lord at Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu
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Tokyo Chrysanthemum Show in Hibiya Park.
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Chrysanthemum Show in Hibiya Park, Tokyo.
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These men are the luggage carriers carrying the hasami-bako boxes containing clothing and other necessities. Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu. 挟み箱
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The daimyo feudal lord in Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu Procession.
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She was definitely the focal point of the procession before they started using a celebrity to play the daimyo. They past Yumoto Station in the background in the Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu Procession.
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Kawasaki C-1 for a parachute drop at Iruma Air Show in Saitama.
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Blue Impulse Kawasaki T-4
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Blue Impulse Aerobatic Team at Iruma Air Show.
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This Tack Cross has one jet flying straight while the other is spiraling around it. Quite spectacular.
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Delighted to see a few women archers at Meiji Shrine yabusame horseback archery on Nov. 3.
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Yabusame is a centuries-old Shinto ceremony to pray for peace in the land and rich harvests. The mounted archery is preceded by a Shinto prayer ceremony. It originated with samurai who had to be skillful mounted archers in medieval battles before guns were introduced.
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There's a 210-meter straight horse track within the shrine's spacious grounds. The track has three targets and each horseback archer gallops at full speed and tries to hit each target with an arrow.
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Her arm guard bears her family crest and the sleeve's cuff has a dragonfly that is an auspicious symbol for courage and never retreating or running away. (Dragonflies don't fly backwards.)
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This is Matayoshi Akemi (又吉あけ美). Her long, black hair made her stand out as "A woman archer!" as many exclaimed. They had seven horses that are specially trained for yabusame. Each one has a name. The arrows have blunt wooden tips.
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Her formal yabusame kimono (yoroi hitatare 鎧直垂) is light blue. Her left side is covered with a black arm guard (igote 射籠手) to make it easier to shoot the arrow. On her left side, she also wears a tachi sword and the shorter dagger (maezashi 前差し). Right above her forearm, you can see a coil of spare bow string (tsurumaki 弦巻).
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On her legs is a summer pelt of deer fur (muka-baki 行縢). It supposed to cushion any fall from the horse. Fortunately, no one fell off the horse this day.
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Daidogei World Cup in Shizuoka at Sumpu Park
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Sakamoto Ryoma chrysanthemum doll at Yushima Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo.
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Very well done, and it makes this chrysanthemum festival unique. Yushima Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo.
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Chrysanthemums shaped like Mt. Fuji. Capped by white flowers for snow. Yushima Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo.
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