The “Medieval” era of Japan is extensive, stretching from the end of the Heian Period to the Azuchi-Momoyama Period. This procession includes not just historical figures, but also adds working women.

Take for instance, the “Ōharame” walking with firewood and charcoal on her head. Peddlers like her are said to have existed until as late as the Shōwa Period. Carrying as much as 30 kilograms of wood on their heads, they cannot even turn their heads if a customer calls to them. As a result, they naturally move gently, giving them an air of refinement. Just what kind of lives did these women lead?

The Edo Period procession also had a line of women, but when the Jidai Festival first started, only men were allowed to participate. However, as the times changed, women were allowed to participate, and you might even say that nowadays, their splendid and colorful processions garner more attention than the men.