70518-0030 - Firefighters

Firefighters in happi coats perform acrobatic stunts on top of bamboo ladders in Tokyo. The ladder stunts were the main event of Japanese New Year celebrations. The demonstrations, called dezome-shiki, were intended to warn people of the dangers of fire, and to demonstrate the agility and courage of the firefighters.

This card is from a series called “Nihon Fuuzoku” (Japanese Customs). The printing quality is not so good, but the series gives a great view on daily life in Japan during the early Showa Period (1925-1989).