The Famous家康行列 Ieyasu Gyoretsu (Parade)

Apologies for the delay in writing, however it took a few hours to defrost after this event! We are in April already, and the weather only teases us with one day of mild sunshine followed by two or so mid-winter nightmare temperatures, I guess just for the kicks?!? It must be hysterical to watch this skit perform...pack away winter clothes only to take them all out again for what one is certain must be the last of winter...one day's grace and when heaters are all cleaned out and packed into storage so the chill factor settles on our bones to the point of fury frost bite. Game must surely be over now? Hope you have enjoyed the laugh; mine can't be found.

Sun was out brilliantly Sunday morning, and Ro and I sped off on our bicycle route to demarcate a pleasant zone for friends and family alike at the IYEYASU PARADE scheduled that afternoon. We were taken back by the number of people already at the venue, many other concerts by school aged children being held with many outrageous costumes donned. We arrived at 9am and found, and peg our ground sheet (luxurious plastic cover wrapping of our new home lounge carpet purchase). Tam searched for rocks to assist the pegs against the wind that was already picking up. My single layers, although reaching ankles and wrists - and forming part of my winter wardrobe - did not suffice in that wind, let alone on the bike where winds are thereby exasperated. My HERO (He Ro...he's my Rohan) and prince charming noticed my lips turn blue and my teeth chattering and took off his only fleece jacket and insisted I accept. I felt extremely guilty, as Ro is the one who can't get sick as he needs to work, whereas I can. I obliged, ever so gratefully...and then we were off at a vastly increased pace - I could only imagine Ro was trying as hard as I to keep warm despite insufficient clothing. Work-out of note for a Sunday morning. GOOD ONE RO!

Text messages posted to all, with pictures of our marked sight for easy identification and mean of finding. We gathered at 3pm...this time fore warned of the ice cold wind ambiance, and I loaded up with two foot hot packs and one for my back. Dressed in my ski-suit attire with all the extra's including two pairs of gloves, a scarf, warm beanie, wind breaker etc. The wind did not hold up. Temperatures reached a REAL FEEL of -4C..thereafter I was too numb to feel.

Caught COLD yet fully prepared; Japan's winter is not for the faint hearted! Now that that is off my chest. Let me move onto the Iyeyasu Parade...

The festival celebrates the cherry blossoms, but also the famous samurai Ieyasu Tokugawa. He was a famous samurai who became a shogun, known to be a brilliant tactician who fought and won many great battles for the Emperor.

Huge effort. Great costume dress. Few technical hitches and oddly a thirty minute delayed start in Japan...almost unheard of misfortune! Of course one that will be harder to forget too with the discomforting weather circumstances. Of course understanding Japanese would have helped following the plot...however our imaginations could run wild and extravagant nonetheless. A great number of volunteers, young (children) and elderly (pensioners) and all in-between, male and female took part. A compliment to the choreographer and production team.

This is an important event in the history of Japan as Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was the man who, in 1603, seized power over the whole country as he launched the Tokugawa Shogunate, which lasted until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

7 April 2014 was the day marked to commemorate the shogun with a parade. A great opportunity to capture a slice of Japanese history.

Participants marched through the town a fair distance until ending at the Otogawa River. There a re-enactment of the pivotal Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 took place by the river, featuring the shooting of authentic Japanese muskets. Ninja and Samurai battle at Okazaki's Ieyasu Festival clash in a memorial battle re-enactment. Ninja clan attempted to storm the castle. Ieyasu and his samurai warriors repelled the attack. Samurai lined up and prepared to fire at the Ieyasu Festival in Okazaki. The samurai lined up and fired replica guns.

Afterward, there was traditional yosakoi dancing and a fireworks display…which the cold weather cut out for us, as we sought warmth as our priority need, not even a want.

Cherry blossom lined street with lanterns in Okazaki to mark the path to the display from Naka-Okazaki train station, all the way to Okazaki-jo (Okazaki Castle). Ohanami (Cherry blossom viewing) is very popular and groups of people get out their blue mats, mini-BBQs and beer cans, to sit under the cherry blossom trees and enjoy the spring weather.

I trust next year's Battle re-enactment will hold more enjoyment of the festivities…