Before the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate(江戸幕府), a six-hour battle took place on October 21, 1600. This was called the ‘Battle of Sekigahara'(関ヶ原の戦い), a savage conflict which changed the course of Japanese history forever. A simulation of this war can be seen in the quiet farming village of Sekigahara. The momentous event is recreated in a somewhat bizarre theme park called “Sekigahara War Land.” This is where people can discover and experience the atmosphere of the battle.
Since the death of the preeminent daimyo, warrior, general, samurai and politician Toyotomi Hideyoshi, men of noble birth continued feuding for absolute power in Japan. Factions began to emerge which even divided the people. In order to put this to an end, the two most powerful contenders (Tokugawa Ieyasu and Ishida Mitsunari), agreed to a decisive battle. The Tokugawa forces were called ‘Army of the East’ while Ishida’s forces were called ‘Army of the West’. Initially, the Army of the West outnumbered the Army of the East but later on their numbers decreased. The Western army disintegrated with the commanders fleeing and scattering. Ishida was then captured and later on executed. Tokugawa Ieyasu’s success allowed them to redistribute the fiefs to the participants. He gave rewards to those who supported him and punished those who fought against him.
Walking through the battlefield of Sekigahara would be possible if you visit Sekigahara War Land, a theme park located in Fuwa District of Gifu Prefecture. More than 200 statues of warriors can be seen in the park’s sculpture garden. Each of these statues shows different battle scenes. The theme park recreates the historical battle with statues of Samurais holding their swords, arrows, and bows.
You can also see the ‘seppuku’ scene of Otani Yoshitsugu during the victory of Ieyasu. Seppuku is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. This practise was carried out by the Samurais in order to restore honor to their families and themselves. And undoubtedly, there is Tokugawa Ieyasu’s statue where you can take some selfies. You can also see Kobayakawa Hideaki who’s known as an indecisive and obscene military commander. There’s also the statue of Yoshihiro Shimazu of the Western Army.
The theme park also has an indoor museum where you can learn more about the battle and has real armors and weapons on display. If you’d like to buy some souvenirs, you can visit the gift shop next to the museum.
Access: Sekigahara War Land is a 2-hour drive from Kyoto. It closes at 4:00 p.m.(3:00 p.m. in winter season) daily so you need to make sure to visit the place earlier. It is about half an hour walk from Sekigahara Station. However, you can also drive there since there’s plenty of parking space.
Admission Fee: 500 yen
The Battle of Sekigahara is one of the bloodiest and most historical battle in Japanese history. This also marked the end of the struggles that began with the death of Warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. If you’re interested in learning more about this battle, head down to the town of Sekigahara where you can relive a moment of Japanese history.
Sekigahara War Land Website*Japanese only
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