GSP Japan Culture 2018 Hokkaido: May 20, Sunday: Goryokaku Festival Parade/ Final Group Banquet

May 20, Sunday

Goryokaku Festival Parade/ Final Group Banquet

The boys joined the Goryokaku Festival Parade dressing up as KYOTO SHINSENGUMI!

The Shinsengumi (新選組, "New Selected Group") was a special police force organized by the Bakufu(military government) during Japan's Bakumatsu period (late Tokugawa shogunate) in 1863. It was active until 1869. It was founded to protect the shogunate representatives in Kyoto at a time when a controversial imperial edict to exclude foreign trade from Japan had been made and the Chōshū clan had been forced from the imperial court. The men were drawn from the sword schools of Edo.

The Shinsengumi fought in defense of Aizu territory under Saitō Hajime and joined the forces of the Republic of Ezo in the north. Shinsengumi numbers decreased to around one hundred in this period and they fought on despite the fall of Edo and clear defeat of Tokugawa.

Hijikata was killed from a gunshot wound during the Battle of Hakodate in Hokkaido. A remaining group of survivors surrendered in1869, marked the end of the Shinsengumi.The forces of the Republic of Ezo would later surrendered, which marked the end of the Boshin War.

Shinsengumi Uniform

The members of the Shinsengumi were highly visible in battle due to their distinctive uniforms. The standard uniform consisted of the haori and hakama over a kimono, with a white cord called a tasuki crossed over the chest and tied in the back. The function of the tasuki was to prevent the sleeves of the kimono from interfering with movement of the arms. The Shinsengumi wore a light chainmail suit beneath their robes and a light helmet made of iron. The uniform was best defined by the haori, which was colored asagi-iro (浅葱色, light blue). The haori sleeves were trimmed with "white mountain stripes", resulting in a very distinctive uniform, quite unlike the usual browns, blacks, and greys found in warrior clothing.