Old Photos of Japan rescues rare images of daily life in old Japan
Learn more about this project

70518-0030 - Japanese Firefighters, 1920s

Tokyo, 1920s
Dezome-shiki

Artist	Unknown
Publisher	Unknown
Medium	Postcard
Period	Taisho
Location	Tokyo
Image No.	70518-0030
Purchase	Digital File
Author	Kjeld Duits

Firefighters in happi coats perform acrobatic stunts on top of bamboo ladders. 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.

For detailed information about fires in Japan, read Yokohama, 1890s • Dezome-shiki.

Published January 4, 2009
Updated July 28, 2021 3:03 PM

Reader Supported

Old Photos of Japan aims to be your personal museum for Japan's visual heritage and to bring the experiences of everyday life in old Japan to you.

To enhance our understanding of Japanese culture and society I track down, acquire, archive, and research images of everyday life, and give them context.

I share what I have found for free on this site, without ads or selling your data.

Your support helps me to continue doing so, and ensures that this exceptional visual heritage will not be lost and forgotten.

Thank you,
Kjeld Duits

support

Reference for Citations

Duits, Kjeld (July 28, 2021). Tokyo, 1920s: Dezome-shiki, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on May 31, 2026 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/685/tokyo-1920s-dezome-shiki

Explore More

Outside 1930s
How Japan Kept the Fire Burning

A young employee of a charcoal dealer carries packs of charcoal. An extensive charcoal infrastructure as well as ingenious methods kept the fires in Japan’s millions of hibachi burning.

Inside 1900s
Staying Warm in (C)Old Japan

A man and a woman are adjusting the fire of an irori (囲炉裏), an open fire centrally located in the main room. For centuries it was the primary source of heat in many Japanese dwellings, as well as the seat and beating heart of family and village life.

1890s
Okosozukin and Furoshiki

In this studio photo, a Japanese woman in a thick winter kimono has an okosozukin (御高祖頭巾) wrapped around her head to protect her against the cold. In her hands she holds something wrapped in a furoshiki (風呂敷), a Japanese wrapping cloth.

Add Comment

There are currently no comments on this article.

Tokyo, 1920sDezome-shiki