When People Saw Samurai In Downtown Tokyo, No One Expected Them To Be Doing THIS

A group of eco-friendly samurai warriors has traveled from feudal era to modern-day Japan to clean up Tokyo’s streets.

These trash-fighting warriors, known as Jidaigumi Basara, are part of the Issei Ichidai Jidaigumiis, a theatrical troupe of samurai performance artists.

The troupe originated in Hokkaido but has branches throughout Japan, including Tokyo, Jidaigumi Basara’s home base.

Jidaigumi Basara’s war on trash allows the samurai to practice their performance skills while giving back to their community. They pick up each piece of garbage with a flair equal to that of their stage performances.

私も池袋でゴミ拾い侍さん見たやで！！トングさばきに切れがある！！
お声掛けに快く応じてくださりありがとうございました😌#ゴミ拾い侍 pic.twitter.com/dc8vlLwCVI

— sayaka* (@s_1639) June 12, 2018

These samurai wander the streets of Tokyo armed with tongs, garbage cans, and impeccable style.

Jidaigumi Basara’s male members wear outfits that combine the old and the new. This includes pairing traditional Japanese robes and with modern fedoras.

The troupe’s female members can be seen gracefully collecting litter while dressed in kimono outfits inspired by the days of old and today’s much more practical footwear.

先日の塵芥の陣！！

着物姿でゴミを拾う麗しき女性集団のレアショットですぞ😍😍

まぁ約1名、麗しいではなく、むさ苦しいのが混ざっております💪（╹◡╹）
Byかぶらぎ#一応女子 #着物好きと繋がりたい #着物好き #SAMURAI #streetphoto pic.twitter.com/3ZdTopePWQ

— 【公式】時代組婆沙羅(ゴミ拾い侍) (@jidaigumi_tokyo) May 29, 2018

These guardians of the earth often team up with other environmental warriors such as the superhero Clean Arrow, a “green” version of DC’s Green Arrow.

Like the samurai, Clean Arrow has made it his mission to protect Tokyo from street waste.

The samurais’ theatrical approach calls attention to Tokyo’s rampant litter problem and teaches kids that cleaning up their community doesn’t have to be a chore.