Human Shogi Festival

In April each year, as part of the Dento City cherry blossom festival, there is a shogi (a chess like strategy game) tournament with a difference. Instead of using normal or even over sized pieces, all the pieces are actual humans – many dressed in character and of course in the respective colours.
Professional Shogi players are invited to rally their human armies in a mighty battle. Well, kind of.
The venue is a flat square on the peak of Mt. Maizuru – an easy 20 minute walk from Tendo Station.
Shogi is obviously a big deal in Tendo – they also have a shogi museum.

(Greg Lane)