Gengyo did not know exactly on which day the battle would occur, so as they sat camp within the gorge of Dengaku-hazama, he did not let his guard down for a single moment. He did not allow his men to relax either. From dusk until early evening, they were fully armoured, and training, and so they would be ready to deal with any threat at any point in time.
The June weather was vicious in its heat, making the rest of the men liable to stay inside their tents for the majority of the day, avoiding the worst of the sun. Their time was spent drinking, and celebrating. It was the kind of behaviour you'd expect to find inside a tavern – not at a place that was soon to become a battlefield.
Scouts were always stationed, keeping an eye out for any movement of the Oda army, waiting for the moment those banners began to descend that steep hill of theirs.
