not as cruel as other warlords. His war banner contained the famous phrase , taken from Sun Tzu's The Art of War. This phrase refers to the idea of Swift as the Wind, Silent as a Forest, Fierce as Fire and Immovable as a Mountain. The motto applied to Shingen's policies and his military strategy. Retainers During the Edo period, 24 retainers who served under Shingen were chosen as a popular topic for ukiyo-e and bunraku. The names vary from work to work and the following list is the widely agreed version of retainers. They had not all worked together, as some had died before others served, but they were noted for their exceptional contributions to Shingen and the Takeda clan. Of his retainers, Kōsaka Masanobu stands out as being one of Shingen's better known beloveds, in the style of the Japanese shudō tradition. The two entered into the relationship when Shingen was 22 and Masanobu 16. The love pact signed by the two, in Tokyo University's Historical Archive, documents Shingen's pledge that he was not involved in, nor had any intentions of entering into, a sexual relationship with a certain other retainer, and asserts that "since I want to be intimate with you" he will in no way harm the boy, and calls upon the gods to be his guarantors. (Leupp, pp. 53–54) Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen Akiyama Nobutomo Amari Torayasu Anayama Nobutada Baba Nobuharu Hara Masatane Hara Toratane Ichijō Nobutatsu, younger brother of Shingen Itagaki Nobukata Kiso Yoshimasa Kōsaka Masanobu Naitō Masatoyo Obata Masamori Obata Toramori Obu Toramasa Oyamada Nobushige Saegusa Moritomo Sanada Nobutsuna Sanada Yukitaka Tada Mitsuyori Tsuchiya Masatsugu Takeda Nobukado Takeda Nobushige Yamagata Masakage Yamamoto Kansuke Yokota Takatoshi Other Generals Hoshina Masatoshi Morozumi Torasada Ohama Kagetaka Sanada Masayuki Shingen-ko Festival Lasting three days, the is held annually on the first or second weekend of April in Kōfu, Yamanashi Prefecture to celebrate the legacy of daimyō Takeda Shingen. In the lunar calendar, Shingen died on the 12th day of the 4th month, and so April 12th is celebrated as the anniversary of his death (despite it being May 13th in the Gregorian calendar). Usually, a famous Japanese celebrity plays the part of Takeda Shingen. There are several parades going between the Takeda Shrine and Kofu Castle reflecting the various comings and goings of Takeda Shingen during his life. The parades are very theatrical, involving serious re-enactors