2024 Gifu Nobunaga Matsuri Report

 

Over the weekend I was able to see the 2024 Gifu Nobunaga Matsuri. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. You had two Nobunagas. Owari no Utsuke and Tenka Nobunaga. Nohime was there as well as Oichi. Unfortunately, no Saito Dosan or Luis Frois. In fact, the parade was too short. To make matters worse was the traffic. The participants had to wait at least seven to ten minutes before moving on. Nohime and Oichi were almost two blocks ahead of Nobunaga. They should have cut off traffic for at least twenty or thirty minutes so the parade can move smoothly and orderly. That never happened. Now was it worth going out of my way to see the parade even with all the mishaps? You bet it was worth it. I enjoyed seeing Nobunaga and Nohime. Before I forget, there was a teppo squad. Beautiful to see the guns fired. Again, I had fun, enjoyed myself, felt the presence of Nobunaga and Nohime in Gifu.

Nobunaga no tame!

Oyobigawa

 

 

Today I visited the Oyobi River in Gifu. The bottom picture is the Minoji or Mino Path.

The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 103)

"Nobunaga immediately galloped forward, about thirty cho [three and a quarter kilometers] from Ora. The two forces made contact at Oyobigawara."

Tenka no tame!

The Myth

 

There is a small park and pond located behind the Shinmachi Hospital which allegedly Nobunaga's head was washed after the Honnoji Rebellion. It is only a myth and it never happened. Nobunaga's body was never found. He was most likely to cremated in the hot flames which the Honnoji burned. I repeat, this well or pond is a myth and a farce.

Nobunaga no tame!

Nobunaga's Kagemusha Appearance

 This probably one of the best scenes in the movie Kagemusha when Nobunaga departs with his army. Enjoy.

Tenka no tame!

Tsushima Festival Update

 

Today I was ableto visit Tsushima Shrine and also the area where Nobunaga and Nohime enjoyed the Tsushima Matsuri in 1556.

Rumi Komonz Kicho&Nobunaga (p. 41) "Leaving Hotta's residence together, Kicho and Nobunaga went to the Tsushima Shrine annual festival. Having only a few bodyguards, twenty-two year old Kicho and her twenty-three year old husband were dressed simply as villagers of Owari." 

You can read the full story in my January 2014 post. This is important because Nobunaga was not just in involved in military affairs, but also had the time to spend with his wife Nohime. Believe or not the Oda family has a long relationship with Tsushima.

Nobunaga no tame!

2024 Gifu Nobunaga Matsuri

 The 2024 Gifu Nobunaga Matsuri will held held in early November. It will be held on the 2nd and 3rd of November. This is the biggest festival in Gifu and probably the best Nobunaga festival in the country. I plan to at least attend one of the two days.

Tenka no tame!

Ikeda Tsuneoki's Birthplace

 Today I was able to visit Ikeda Tsuneoki's birthplace in the Arako area of Nagoya. This was the site of Tsuneoki's father's (Tsunetoshi) mansion. Tsuneoki was Nobunaga's half-brother and his mother Youtokuin (1515-1608) was Nobunaga's wet nurse. Tsuneoki's area of birth is interesting since it is near Maeda Toshiie's birthplace of Arako Castle. Both served under Nobunaga and were the original "Boys from Owari."

Nobunaga no tame!