Overshadowed by the heroic Byakko-tai Troop of young men is the story of courageous women who fought with weapon in hand during the Boshin Civil War (1868 - 1869). About 20 women who were wives and daughters of the Aizu clan made up the Roshi-gun Troop. The Aizu clansmen valued education of their young, and female offspring were not exempt from practices of martial arts. Among the ladies, Nakano Takeko was highly regarded for her beauty and fighting skills. She went to battle, swinging her halberd but was killed in action at age 22. Today, Nakano Takeko is remembered through her cenotaph that proudly stands in Kozashi-machi. (see photograph) Every year during the Aizu Autumn Festival, a group of young girls dressed in hakama (pleated skirt) and white headbands wrapped over their foreheads joins the historic procession as a reminder of the tragic loss of the Roshi-gun women.
