The Widow & The Warrior Helmet of Shingen Takeda Float, Karatsu Kunchi Festival, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, Japan
As the floats wound their way around Karata City, locals and visitors lined the parade route. On the Monday, among the thousands of spectators, one person stood out. An elderly lady waited on the side of the road clutching a framed photograph of an man dressed in the colors of one of the float teams.
The Widow & The Warrior Helmet of Shingen Takeda Float, Karatsu Kunchi Festival, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, Japan
The Warrior Helmet of Shingen Takeda approached. Two lines of men dragged the float along the street and up across the bridge. Then something rather magical happened.
The Widow & The Warrior Helmet of Shingen Takeda Float, Karatsu Kunchi Festival, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, Japan
The giant float with the warrior helmet of Shingen Takenda stopped. The elderly lady was ushered in front of the float, and the teams of men turned to face her.
The widow held up the photograph of her husband and the men cheered, and cheered, and cheered again.
The Widow & The Warrior Helmet of Shingen Takeda Float, Karatsu Kunchi Festival, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, Japan
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 