Government officials in Heian-kyō included both civil officials in charge of executive affairs, and the officers in charge of military affairs. Emperor Kammu appointed Sakanoue-no-Tamuramaro as his commander-in-chief of his anti-barbarian forces. Sakanoue then succeeded in bringing Tōhoku to heel where his predecessor had repeatedly failed, and triumphantly marched back to the capital. This procession captures his victorious return.

Sakanoue-no-Tamuramaro is the subject of many legends; one such legend has it that he brought the surrendered Tōhoku leader back to Kyoto where he tried, and failed, to grant him a pardon to return back to Tōhoku.
We are now so far back in history that few reference materials exist. Nevertheless, the festival continuously strives to research, reproduce, and improve the attire of the day. The armor on show here is also simple when compared to the rest of the parade, but that unadorned quality may grant it an air of thousand-year-old antiquity.