Choose a katchu (armor and helmet that used to be worn by samurai warriors) modeled on those worn by the famous samurai Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna and Sanada Yukimura. Kagetsuna was a retainer who served as a military advisor to the Date clan that ruled this region. Yukimura is known for his role in the battle for control over Japan; he boldly attacked the main camp of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who later became a ruler of Japan and founded the Edo shogunate. Yukimura gained reputation as the “No. 1 warrior in Japan” and has many fans to this day.

“Ashigaru-san” staff dressed as light infantry foot soldiers will dress you up. The katchu are authentic reproductions and include a kabuto (helmet to protect the head), do (armor to protect the chest and abdomen), and kote (armor to protect the upper arm to the back of the hand). You’ll feel like one of the powerful samurais who rose to prominence during the period of civil war known as the Sengoku period (end of the 15th century to the 16th century). After choosing and wearing katchu, you will learn how to pull out a sword and assume a kamae posture. You do not need to bring anything; just wear clothes that are easy to move in and refrain from wearing a skirt (prevents the wearing of feet armor) and tank top (to avoid direct contact between the skin and katchu).