Number
#22

Date
02/1886

Title (Kanji)

Title (Rōmaji)

Description
In meiji Japan, firemen occupied a place of honor. They were widely respected for their acts of bravery and skill. Many were also heavily tattooed. They wore heavy jackets made of multi-layered cotton which were soaked with water while fighting a blaze. The coats were often embroidered with the emblem of the firefighter’s company (as in this print), or fanciful and elaborate images of dragons, etc, which were reminicient of tattoos. Competition was common between companies. Here a fireman holds his standard and gazes across the flames towards a fireman from another company.

Additional information

Year Published

1886

Size

Ōban

Signed

Yoshitoshi, Yoshitoshi giga

Seals

Taiso, Yoshitoshi, Yoshitoshi no in

Subjects

Fire/smoke, Firemen

Editions

First

Publisher

Akiyama Buemon

Block Carvers

Esen, Naoyama, Nigouchi Enkatsu, Unknown, Yamamoto, Yoshihisa