During the Medieval Age, Kamakura was a place hard to conquer. Being surrounded by steep hills, there were only several routes usable by invading armies, routes known today as the Kamakura’s Seven Entrances.
During the Genkō War, Kamakura was ruled by the Hōjō clan and the commander of the enemy forces, Nitta Yoshisada, decided to attack the city from the sea. Most probably, he waited for a low tide, but the old story reproduced in this Nebuta float is a lot more interesting.
The version of the legend depicted here says that Nitta threw his golden sword into the sea, as an offering for Ryūjin, the god of the sea, depicted as a green dragon. Ryūjin answered to his demand and parted the waters. Then, Niita’s army traversed the waters and finally conquered Kamakura…
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Yesterday’s Japan Photo:Christmas in Tenjin, Fukuoka |
