Ichijo San- Samurai General-NE!

Hey look a gaijin (foreigner) dressed up like a samurai..... (stares, stares, stairs, stares). EHHH? Yes, It is me under that around 20 lbs of layered fabrics and things that resemble chain male. I got the rare privilege to dress up like a samurai to honor this famous samurai- Takeda Shingen. So to do this I became a samurai general a guarder of the big man himself! Also, I had to get up on a steed and prepare just in case I would need to swipe the heads off any person who would come close to Takeda. SO, Lets just take a look at this timely and somewhat painful experience!

Dr. Molly to the rescue. This was step 1! First, I had to wear spats- or tights, a one hole toe sock and this Dr. coat under all of this. And there were these guys who came around and dressed everyone. It was great- I need one of those on a daily basis. (and no his mask was not to whisk away my smell- I took a shower!)

Next, A pair of baggy knickers. They will be before to long! Any who- they started wrapping all these ropes around me and pulling them as snug possible.

Next, Two guys came to start putting on the sleeves. It was intense- there was maybe 5 ties for these parts- they just kept coming up with more places to tie things. I was like- wow watch out! 

After gearing up my knickers with these sweet shin guards (which might reflect a kick but not anything else) they put on the shoes- Hence the reason for the one hole toe sock. Man, you think that wearing flip flops would train you for this sock- NO WAY! IT was shoved onto my foot so much I def had a toe wedgie. Ehhh.

In this picture I was almost done and there was this camera club taking so many pictures- ahhh. It was like- Hey look there are some Americans lets only take pictures of them. AHHHH! I was pretty sure they were practicing to be the paparazzi. They definitely had it down the whole annoying thing. Any who I was almost done! It was def heavy. All the weight was on my hips- man how did they do it. (and ride a horse?)

Takao giving me some advice about being a samurai. See the corn emblem on my head- Yep they must have known I was from Iowa.

Head check. Lets tie it so tight that it will never come off.

How does it feel to be hugged all day long- Great! Every time I had something loose or needing to be changed, or I needed to go to the restroom- I got a hug! It was so nice. Most of the time I didn't have to ask- they were like the hug crew. They kept my spirits up as well as my pants! Great people!

Done! Here we are with Takeda Shingen. See our hands on our swords- We are ready to get em! (ps- with all the get up it was hard to get the sword out! Man it was- I tried and almost fell over!) But it was great! I was all ready- and then I heard the sound of the noble steed who was going to carry me through this 5 hour parade! (yeah didn't expect that either). 

Here is where we met the mayor and took pics! It looks like we were all boys but there were about 4 girls. Also people couldn't tell if I was Japanese or not from the back- the first time that has happened! 

This was after I mounted. The horse was sweet. The last time I rode a horse was in a horse camp in 5th grade and the horse was black too. Any who after hoisting myself plus about 20 lbs. on to the horse we walked and walked till the parade started! Thankfully i had a person to walk my horse- or I would have been in Kyoto (a news bulletin- A wild steed stampeded out of the Parade carrying a foreigner who look like the former English teacher in Kofu- they were found in Kyoto 8 hours away in the morning). Well these guys were great- they were so patient and let me off the horse many times- so I could rest the deadness in my legs and .. it was great!  The horses name was buck star- or at least that is what I heard. It was fun- and smelly- yeah  you noticed the lower left hand corner- yeah that was nothing the horse in front of us kept exploding. Also, he would let out these gassy explosions and we could do nothing about it but try to not keel over. 

The Takeda festival was fun! These guys were holding a huge shrine of sorts- chanting and saying yosh... They would carry it all over and switch men half the way through. Wow it was great to see Kofu from the horse but seriously I will not be riding a horse for the next few years- I need sometime off. Anywho- it was great time. To see the faces of the kids when I went by and they realized I was not Japanese- and the old ladies who would yell and look at me- Ohhh gaijin gaijin! hehehe it was a fantastic opportunity that will always remind me- samurai  need a new outfit- man some lighter fabrics or something! 

Remember: When you ride a horse for 5 hours you get this tipsy feeling after- do not go and jump in a pool- Man that would make anyone barf.

~MOlly