A Time Traveller's Guide To Feudal Japan

"...Five more minutes."

"No! Nii-san, you promised me last week that you’d come to the market with me today. If you don’t hurry we’re going to miss the best bits."

She pressed her face up close to his so that he couldn’t turn away.

He closed his eyes tight for a good few seconds, but feeling her hot breath on his cheeks and her feminine scent lingering in his nostrils he felt too uncomfortable to bear it any longer.

"Fineeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

He roared with a shout, throwing his covers up as he slapped his cheeks in an attempt to motivate himself.

Rin stood there – a little baffled – as Gengyo danced around in nothing but his fundoshi.

’His bruises are still pretty bad.’

She thought to herself feeling a hint of sadness.

Noticing her gaze Gengyo looked down on himself, realizing that this was definitely not the appropriate dress to be seen in by his sister.

"Rin."

"Yes, Nii-san?"

"I need some clothes."

"Yup."

"Will you get me some?"

"Nope."

Gengyo sighed, expecting as much. The clothes that he had left by his bedside had already been moved by Fuku – presumably to be washed – and he was unsure where he might find a new pair.

Feeling that it was going to be embarrassing to walk about the house in nothing but his underwear, he sighed once more.

’This is pretty annoying.’

"Rin. Where’s mother?"

"In the main room, eating breakfast."

"Mmm. I don’t think I should be seen by her with these bruises. It’ll make her worry. How about... You get me a pair of clothes?"

Gengyo proposed this idea as though it was a newfound conclusion.

At the mention of this new line of reasoning, Rin could not say much.

"...Fine."

She reluctantly left, before returning a few moments later with a bundle of clothes in her hands.

Gengyo nodded gratefully, holding his arms out to receive the load.

"Thank you."

Rin accepted the thanks before hurling the clothes into his face with a certain amount of glee.

"You’re welcome."

"That was a bit rude."

"Yup."

Gengyo sighed again, shaking his head at his little sister’s eccentrics.

’So this is what having a sister is like...’

...

...

The village market place was a rather simple affair. There were fewer people gathered than one might expect in your typical market setting – though that was to be expected, as the population of the village was at most a few hundred.

Houses were placed sporadically, with a good distance between each one. Space was not an issue, so it did not make sense to build them tightly together.

The streets – despite not being gravelled or the like – were surprisingly clean, and the peasants and merchants that were gathered in a certain clear, open area did not soil their clothes on mud or the like.

The merchants were few but their wares were varied. Tools such as hoes and axes rested upon small stalls that had been set up earlier that morning.

Some stalls had various accessory items, such as hairpins and simple earrings.

Other stalls sold hot food, with wooden stools lining the front of the store to accommodate customers.

All in all, it was a rather underwhelming affair, especially for Gengyo who had lived in Tokyo, and had navigated its busy streets for most of his life.

Rin’s enthusiasm far outweighed his own as she pulled him through the crowd by his hand.

"Hurry up Nii-san! All the good things will have been sold by now!"

Gengyo sighed as he was dragged in front of a clothing stall.

’We don’t have the money to buy any of this, do we?’

"Ahhh, look how pretty this is, Nii-san!"

She pointed to a pink flowery kimono with shining eyes.

"I’m sure you’d look good in it."

Gengyo said neutrally.

The store owner came over after dealing with another customer and struck up conversation.

"Ah, the lady has good taste. This kimono is surely the only fitting dress for a flower as radiant as you."

Gengyo spared no time for such rehearsed lines, seeing the intent behind them.

"Sorry, we’re just looking for now."

At that the merchant pulled a face of disgust, as if to say:

’Of course they are... filthy peasants.’

But that look quickly vanished and was replaced by a more business-like dismissal.

"Ah, please take your time. Let me know should you decide to buy any of my wares."

At that he left, and Gengyo felt relieved to have been unburdened from the merchant’s expectations.

Rin had not noticed the nuances of such an exchange and was still ogling the many wares with keen interest.

"Wouldn’t it be nice to buy such clothes, Nii-san?"

At that Gengyo scratched his head. He had never had much of an interest in clothes, but he did not have the heart to refute her so aggressively.

"Well, maybe. But clothes are not simply clothes. They come with extra situational and social strings attached. To be able to afford such clothes, you would have to be of money, and to be of money tends to make things more complicated. People will want to rob you for your wealth, and you will have to grow strong enough to defend yourself. As we are now, if our family were to gain money we would be ruined."

Rin listened politely as she regarded Gengyo with a curious gaze.

"What is it?"

"Mmm... Nothing. Nii-san is weird is all."

Gengyo could not help but sigh. Of course, a girl as young as Rin could not understand his wariness of such a troublesome thing as money. Money had often been the cause of a good man’s descent into the wickedness of hell.

Out of the corner of his eye Gengyo spied of a weapons stall laden with simple boiled leather armours and cheap swords and spears. But what attracted his gaze was not those. It was a bow.

Pulling back Rin who was had already been heading toward an accessory store, he headed towards it.

"Nii-san? Where are we going?"

Gengyo did not reply with words, he simply led her there so that she could answer her own question.

No one else had bothered to visit such a stall, for the goods were presumably much too expensive and of too little use to a peasant. In times of war the ashigaru would be fitted with a simple kit by the landowner, so there was nothing to worry about on that front.

This lack of customers resulted in a very bored store owner, who sat in a stool behind his stall resting his chin on his hands as he idly watched those who passed by.

He greeted them with a mix of surprise and enthusiasm as he rushed to stand up and look helpful.

"Good day to the sir and madam!"

Gengyo got straight to the point so as to not mislead the merchant.

"Hello. I would like to try that bow."

The merchant looked Gengyo up and down, firmly believing that such a bow was far too expensive for the likes of him.

"But sir, this bow costs 70 copper coins... are you sure the sir is able to afford it?"

At this Gengyo shrugged.

"Well, there don’t appear to be any other customers waiting, so what’s the harm in me trying?"

The store owner looked a little irritated at such a comment, but did his best to maintain his flagging smile.

"Very good sir..."

He relented and handed over the bow.

Rin was panicked by his actions as she urgently whispered her thoughts.

"Nii-san... 70 copper coins is way too much. That could feed us for a year!"

Gengyo merely nodded and drew the string back.

He held it for a good few seconds before shaking his head and handing it over.

"I’m sorry sir, the draw strength on this bow is much too light. Having become used to a 110 lbs bow, it would feel wrong to use anything less."

The merchant regarded him with disbelief, and shook his head mockingly.

’As if someone as poor as you could afford to use such a powerful bow.’

At that Gengyo walked away with Rin, a satisfied smile etched upon his face.

’So, that was only 70 lbs... Interesting. It appears my bow is of rather good quality.’

Rin was mystified by his contented look and could only follow by his side curious as to what on earth that had all been about.

...

...

As they walked back home after Rin was finally contented with her exploration of the market, they came across a rather familiar duo.

Behind a rather run-down house a little away from the road home, the two boys were engaged in aggressive swordplay.

YAH!

An overhead strike from Aritada was swiftly blocked by Yoritomo. Using the initiative that he had seized, Yoritomo swiped toward Aritada’s right side – which was promptly blocked – and then toward his left, barraging him with strike after strike.

Yoritomo’s superior technique was evident – no doubt as a result of his hard training – but Aritada was not giving in either. Each strike was blocked – though it was hard to call that commendable, as the attacks were a little mindless – but he was still forced backwards, sweating hard.

Gengyo could not exactly praise their skill. A battle would have no place for such a long-winded fight. There was only one thing that mattered, and that was killing your opponent quickly.

Instead of wasting time with useless movements, they should aim for a single strike – or series of strikes – that would claim the life of their opponent.

’A kendo practitioner would be turning in his grave watching this...’

"We’re going over."

Gengyo told Rin – much to her surprise – and began walking toward them.

"Eh!? Why?"

Gengyo ignored her and carried on walking.

"Nii-san! Wait! Why are you going over to them? They gave you all those horrible bruises!"

Gengyo had neglected to tell Masaatsu and Rin about his current relationship with the two friends, for fear they would not approve of his lenience. Children tend to be less apt at looking to the future.

Gengyo merely stood by the side and waited until the duellists finally noticed him. All the while Rin pulled on his sleeve seeking an explanation for his actions.

Their bout ended when one of Yoritomo’s strikes caught Aritada’s fingers and he dropped his sword with a yowl of pain.

Yoritomo finally noticed them, as he turned around bokken – wooden katana – on shoulder.

"Ah? Miura-san? What brings you here?"

Rin picked up on the ’-san’ as she glanced toward her brother with curiosity, before returning to glaring at those she perceived to be ’the enemy’.

"I came to the market with Rin here,"

Gengyo ruffled her hair to accent his words and undermine the ferocity she was showing.

Rin could only pout and groan, wrestling her way from his grip.

"Haha. Anyway, I saw you training and I thought I’d come down to say hi."

By now Aritada had also come over, and he raised an eyebrow at that.

"Just to say hi? I think that’s unlikely. Was there something you wanted to tell us?"

Gengyo could not help but smile.

’They’re learning.’

"Yes. I wanted to say good job for training so hard..."

Aritada gazed at him calculatingly tapping his sword against his shoulder.

"Nope... That’s still not it."

At this Gengyo had to clap, his smile widening.

"Haha. You got me. It’s probably easier if I show you. Do you mind if I borrow a sword?"

Aritada nodded, understanding his intent.

"Yoritomo, pass him a sword."