Fireman's Coat

19th century, Cotton, Japan, late Edo period (1603–1868), Gift of the Christensen Fund, 2001.417

Learn about it!

Hundreds of years ago, firefighters in Japan wore coats like the Fireman’s coat in front of you. These coats were reversible and the design you see in the galleries today is actually the inside of the coat. In Tokyo, known as Edo during that time, most of the buildings were made of wood and built close together. If a fire started, it could spread very quickly and put many people in danger. Because of this, firefighting was a very important job.

Listen to actor Hudson Yang discuss this artwork.
Produced by Acoustiguide © Seattle Art Museum

Let's Watch

Watch this video of Dezomeshiki, the New Year's Parade of Firefighters that takes place in Tokyo, Japan. This parade was started hundreds of years ago to teach people about how firefighters do their jobs.

In the past, firefighters would climb ladders to look around the area and battle the fire. Some firefighters would pose on the ladder to let others know the direction of the wind.

Video by Tokyo Convention Visitors Bureau.

Mmm…Mochi!

What are the rabbits on this coat doing? In Japanese stories, there are rabbits on the moon that make mochi, or rice cakes. The video above shows families making mochi at the Mochi Tsuki Festival on Bainbridge Island, WA.

People enjoy mochi today all over Japan. It can be found in Seattle’s Japanese grocery stores too! Have you ever tried it before? One of the most popular ways to eat it is wrapping the soft, squishy mochi over a sweet filling, like red bean paste or chocolate cream.

Mochi Tsuski Festival, BainbridgeIsland.com, 2013.

Wear it Out

This photo of another Japanese fireman’s coat in the museum’s collection shows how these coats looked from the outside, with the design on the inside. The owner of the coat would select the inside design.
  1. In the photo, can you see a ladder and streamers on the inside of the coat? The streamers, called matoi, were used to mark where fires needed to be contained.
  2. Look at the fireman’s coat in the gallery and the one in the picture. Why do you think their owners chose the designs inside? If you had a special coat like this, what kind of picture would you want on the inside?
Fireman's coat, first half 19th century Japanese Cotton; hand-woven; plain-weave; stitched (sashiko); freehand paste resist (tsutsugaki); indigo dye 34 15/16 x 51 in. (88.8 x 129.5 cm) Margaret E. Fuller Purchase Fund, 82.129.
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