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Gomen Nasai, Sumimasen

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:15 pm
by Hirate Sakimori
Greetings friends thank you for allowing me among you.

For those of you familiar to Japanese the thread title here is obvious, but just in case your wondering it says "Sorry, excuse me" :)

I am a completely newbie to UK re-enactment scene. I am somewhat of an anomaly since I am part Japanese and part Indian. For many years I have researched the campaigns of what many call the "Pacific theatre" of World War 2. My interest is largely in the Japanese Imperial Army and it's many famous campaigns and the great people who took part in those and opposed the Imperial forces.

It is a somewhat overlooked era with not much so much coverage but this is where I try to make things interesting. I strongly admire not only the forces of Japan but those many brave nations which fought against the forces of Japan. Not just the obvious US, but the UK and it's Empire troops. Majority of whom were Indian, Australian and even native forces of places like Indonesia and the Philippines who fought heroic and very bloody guerrilla war.

I have spent much of my life abroad and I am still a rather young fellow, not yet 30. However I have good command of English and can speak a lot of foreign languages including some German and French too.

I am wondering if there is a Japanese scene in the UK since most forums are very quite with regards to this. I live in the Wild West Midlands and have my own Japanese Army officer costume which I made myself. My grandmother was married to Hirate Murasaki who was an officer of the 25th Imperial Japanese army which took part in the Malaya Campaign and was later part of the force under Sosako Suzuki which defended the Island of Mindanao and it was here he fell to the US onslaught. Many of his comrades held out till after the war. My Grandmother returned to North India where she had a hard time adjusting. My father was a businessman and so I am lucky to have made it to UK over a decade ago and study here still.

I am hoping to learn and share knowledge of the past as well as look for likeminded people and maybe join a group since I kind of look odd being the only "Jap" at local events. I attended a meeting last year near Birmingham... and I was the only person there... which was good in some ways because many people had never seen a Japanese style soldier up close... but also it shocked me how little people knew about the campaigns in the East. I did meet with a Veteran of the War in Burma and that was perhaps the best part of the day. At some point my friend who is a World War 2 Russian enthusiast said I should try one of the online forums to see if there are other groups in the country still active in this field, so here I am.

Thank you again. I hope in the new year to be able to attend more events and get to know more people and maybe get a dedicated group going. All the best and I hope this is a good year for everyone.

Re: Gomen Nasai, Sumimasen

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 11:03 pm
by Halle
Hirate Sakimore ,

Welcome to the forum . Reading your intro was like a breath of fresh air - someone who is passionate about their subject , and looking to grow a group in the UK . I have encountered the Japanese group at Royal Gunpowder Mills , and at Victory - they are superb , and a welcome addition to the usual suspects . I look forward to your future inputs , and maybe to meet you ,

Gruß und Bergheil ,

Re: Gomen Nasai, Sumimasen

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:50 pm
by Tanaka
Welcome to the forum.

There is a Japanese group in the UK which i formed 11 years ago now which is still up and running, although i myself have a limited input into it these days, it still has a great core of young guys who are extremely dedicated to portraying the forces of the IJA. If there is anything you need let me know and i can usually help out

Re: Gomen Nasai, Sumimasen

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 6:26 pm
by Hirate Sakimori
Oh

DomoArigatoGuzaymashta

Many many thanks Tanaka San :shock:

Respect to you and your group. Whereabouts are you guys?

Re: Gomen Nasai, Sumimasen

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:56 pm
by Tanaka
the group isn't really based anywhere, i was down in cornwall, other guys were in Norfolk and Essex and one guy was from the midlands so fairly spread out, most of the shows were up in the midlands down to kent sort of area.