On the first Saturday of December every year there is a special festival in the city of Kyoto, Japan. This particular occasion does not involve kimonos or cherry blossoms, but rather the troops, armor and air power of Japan’s Ground Self Defense Forces (JGSDF). The festival takes place on the parade ground of the base in Katsura city, a district of the larger metropolitan area of Kyoto. The soldiers of the garrison perform a formal parade review with the vehicles in their charge that include Mitsubishi jeeps, Toyota Megacruisers (akin to Humvees), large trucks and even armored vehicles.