Readers of Sword of the Taka Samurai, especially those tracing Taka Yamabuki through chapter 2 of Cold Blood, are told of a royal carriage. Western readers sometimes picture something out of Cinderella — four horses and carriage out of Louis XIV. However, the Japanese carriage of the year 1165 was somewhat different.
For example, it was pulled by oxen.
In the picture above, the re-enactor are preparing the for Hollyhock Festival and they are leading a processions that must be like what Yamabuki, as a girl, experienced. Thankfully, there are no soldiers who thrash the parade-goers if they do not kowtow–bowing so low that their foreheads touch the asphalt.
Despite its beauty, the carriage was likely rough going as most anyone who has visited Williamsburg, Virginia, will recount is they take the coach ride.
In the other photo we see the wheel of the carriage and get some idea of the scale by the people partly hidden by the cart.
Reblogged this on Antonia Althea Malvino and commented:
Fascinating description. It’s the details that make me love Historical fiction. I imagine the ride was rough going!
Reblogged this on Antonia Althea Malvino and commented:Fascinating description. It’s the details that make me love Historical fiction. I imagine the ride was rough going!
I have some more photos of Aoi Matsuri, if you’d like to see them. 🙂 https://www.flickr.com/photos/alex-hurst/sets/72157646384185687/
They are rough going. Even just watching it roll by, it was bouncing and lurching. They don’t have very good turn radiuses either.
Thank you for the great link. I LOVE the photographs. With the turning radius, no wonder they had to have a whole other road out of Kita to the docks at the beach. It must have been quite a feat to get one of those carriages onto the larger haul boats.
I have some more photos of Aoi Matsuri, if you’d like to see them. 🙂 https://www.flickr.com/photos/alex-hurst/sets/72157646384185687/
They are rough going. Even just watching it roll by, it was bouncing and lurching. They don’t have very good turn radiuses either.
Thank you for the great link. I LOVE the photographs. With the turning radius, no wonder they had to have a whole other road out of Kita to the docks at the beach. It must have been quite a feat to get one of those carriages onto the larger haul boats.