Circa 1890, Yokohama:

Dezome-shiki   


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.

Via Old Photos of Japan. (h/t, Coudal) And yes, it’s still performed today.

















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