Japanese Firefighters Ceremony

Every year in January there are 出初式 (Japanese New Years Firefighters Ceremonies) around Japan.

Every January 6th, the 「東京消防出初式」 (“Tokyo Fire Department’s New Year Ceremony“) is held. Today is 2016 January 5th, so it will be held tomorrow.

I have been to this (and a few other Japanese Firefighter Ceremonies). Click here to see my post (with photos) about it.

The 「横浜消防出初式」 (“Yokohama Fire Department’s New Year Ceremony“) is on the second Sunday of January every year…so it will be held on January 10th this year.

If you’re unable to attend one of those festivals this month, there is a similar one in the Asakusa area of Tokyo in May every year.
It’s not as grand as the New Year’s ceremonies. And it’s actually a memorial ceremony for fallen firefighters.
It’s called the 江戸消防慰霊祭 (Edo Firefighters Memorial Ceremony).

I watched this ceremony a couple times. Click here to see photos I took of it almost six years ago. (There are also photos of the Tokyo Sky Tree under construction in that post because it’s near where the ceremony is held, and it was being being at that time).

Here are some videos of last year’s 「横浜消防出初式」 (“Yokohama Fire Department’s New Year Ceremony“):

出初式

A number of years ago I went to the 東京消防出初式 (Tokyo Fire Department New Year’s Demonstration).

(Click here to see what I wrote about it on my “Tokyo Festivals” page.)

I had been wanting to go again, but never got around to it. I should’ve went last year because the event’s on January 6th every year, and last year January 6 was on a Sunday. Oh well.

This year the event will be next 火曜日 (Tuesday)…January 6, 2009. It’s at the 東京ビッグ・サイト (Tokyo Big Sight) near お台場 (Odaiba).
It starts at 9:30AM.

I was disappointed that it will be on a weekday this year, and I was thinking that I’d have to wait until January 6, 2013…which will be a Sunday and the next time that date falls on a weekend.

But I think I may be able to swing by there for a short time before work next Tuesday! 🙂

It’s an excellent festival. The firemen put out a real fire in a mock building, parade their fire-trucks and fire-boats, and a popular point is when they do the traditional Japanese firemen acrobatic demonstrations.

This is something that firemen in Japan have to be able to do. It’s done nowadays partially for tradition, but mainly for physical training…it was done centuries ago because that was how firemen in Japan used to fight fires—by climbing on bamboo ladders.