People from all over the world are clearly fascinated by the Japanese psyche and culture. Is this perhaps the result of their participation during the Second World War? This may not necessarily be the case as the fascination transcends the war torn generation and has descended upon the new generation. Their addiction is for Japanese stories of war in the ancient eras when the feudal system was still strong and warlords fought against each other in a bid to expand their territory and power.

Clearly some people have nurtured a passion for this interest by dressing up in accordance with the period, complete with kabutos or samurai helmets as well as fantasy swords. They learn how to fight as in ancient times, without concern that modern weaponry has all but rendered swords obsolete. The romance of tradition and honor certainly draws a crowd. Fighting in those times required real bravery. Many people of various ages come to costume plays to pretend a fight and experience, albeit in a much lesser degree of vitality, the feelings within a warrior’s heart as he continues the fight despite overwhelming odds.

During costume or cosplay, each player dresses to the hilt, some even bearing the crest of Takeda Shingen Kabuto & Mempo, one of the most powerful clans during that time. Players from teams, with at least two warriors acting as the”hachi” and “shikoro”, to protect the crown’s head and neck, respectively. The sharp samurai sword makes it an exciting game, as even replicas are made of real metal that could hurt, if not kill.