The 「Kenshin Festival」, which remembers feudal warlord Uesugi Kenshin’s outstanding virtue, was held on the 22nd and 23rd at Niigata Prefecture’s Joetsu City. On the 23rd, musician GACKT （Gakuto）-san performed as Kenshin dressed in Kariginu (informal clothes worn by the nobility from the Heian period onwards), and in the area of the Kasugayama Castle Ruins, led the Kick-off Procession and the Re-enactment of the Kawanakajima Battle. The area was packed with fans and their cheers as they watched his gallant figure.

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This is GACKT-san’s 3rd appearance in a row, with a total of 7 appearances. For the Kick-off Procession, he led the Uesugi Army on horseback, and paraded down 2 kilometers of the prefecture’s roads. The female fans lining the roadsides called out 「Oyakata samaー」. The entire army gathered at the intersection overlooking Kasugayama Castle, and they drew their swords chanting 「Eh eh ohー」. After that, they moved to the nearby Kasugayama Castle Historical Square to proceed with the Re-enactment of the Kawanakajima Battle.

This is the 90th Kenshin Festival. The Festival Executive committee commented about GACKT-san’s performance saying 「he will be taking a break after this performance」 but, GACKT-san himself said 「If the locals are seriously considering to have a big festival, I’ll do it next year too」, expressing a willingness in consecutive appearances.

Source: MAINICHI.JP

Translation: GACKT Italia Team

© GACKT Italia