Modern samurai soldiers in Japan are using their sword skills to pick up trash
Recently, people in Japan have been coming up with clever new ways to bring age-old customs into the modern age. In addition to products like the ice cream katanaand minimalist kimonos, this trend has also inspired Isse Ichidai Jidaigumi (“Once in a lifetime, on a big bet”), a one-of-a-kind club that reimagines samurai sword skills as a theatrical means to pick up trash.
Each member of this unique group is fittingly dressed in an old-meets-new outfit: a traditional Japanese robe and a modern trilby hat. While clad in these eye-catching ensembles, Isse Ichidai Jidaigumi members roam around Tokyo and Hokkaido, stopping only to simultaneously show off their sword skills while collecting garbage.
Employing the arcs, swings, and slashing motions characteristic of traditional samurai techniques, Isse Ichidai Jidaigumi members use tongs to gather the litter. The trash is then placed into a basket, which is usually carried on one person's back.
Updated: Wed 13 Jun 2018 at 09:28
