Japanese fire department of the Edo period

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Matoi porters

The Japanese fire department of the Edo period was founded in the first third of the 17th century.

background

Light wood construction, open hearth fires, a very dry winter on the Pacific side, and occasional earthquakes, constantly led to fires, which had devastating consequences, especially in the three large cities of Edo ( Tokyo ), Osaka and Kyoto . When political stability was restored at the beginning of the Edo period and the big cities grew in this context, fire protection began to be dealt with .

Fire-fighting measures

Meireki fire at Montanus
Protective clothing with daimyo coat of arms ( mon ) in the Matsuyama Castle Museum
"Hanten": front and back
Water syringe
Fireproof storage
  • In 1629 the daimyō set up permanent fire stations ( 大名 火 消 , daimyō hikeshi ) on their property , but they only secured their own property.
  • In 1649 the city of Edo set up a professional fire brigade ( 定 火 消 , jōbikeshi ), which was divided into 64 brigades . These were each responsible for one quarter, 48 brigades west of Sumida -Flusses, 16 brigades on the other side. The 48 were named with the Kana alphabet. The syllables “he”, “ra” and “hi”, which have an unpleasant aftertaste, have been replaced by the Kanji 100 ( 百 ), 1000 ( 千 ) and 10,000 ( 万 ) and the final n syllable by “hon “( 本 ). The remaining sixteen brigades were numbered from one to sixteen. These brigades were combined into larger groups.

Each brigade carried a standard called the matoi . The kana or number symbol appeared at the top of a pole in three directions, underneath was a sash made of strips of paper, the bear ( 馬 簾 ). The firefighters were rough people and often tattooed.

For the first hundred years, these brigades could only prevent the spread of a fire by demolishing buildings next to the source of the fire. For this purpose, the brigades were equipped with ladders and tear hooks, the Tobi ( 鳶 ). Homeowners often found their house being unnecessarily demolished, leading to the saying, "Fires and strife are the flowers of Edo." ( 火 事 と 喧嘩 は 江 戸 の 華 , Kaji to kenka wa Edo no hana ). The firefighters protected themselves with short thick jackets ( 半 纏 , hanten ), which they saturated with water.

  • In 1718, a municipal volunteer fire brigade was established ( machi hikeshi ).
  • In 1754 it was possible to build and use water pumps ( y 吐 水 , ryūdosui ).

Accompanying measures

  • From 1657, the urban structure of Edo was improved by loosening up and relocating the residences of the three Tokugawa branch lines to land outside the Outer Trench. In addition, the larger daimyo-side residences (put Nakayashiki ) and further out sub residences ( Shimoyashiki ) to. laid out in which one could retreat in the event of a fire.
  • In 1683, more severe penalties for arson and robbery ( 火 付 盗賊 改 , hitsuke tōzoku aratame ) were set.
  • Free-standing watchtowers were built and viewing platforms were placed on houses. In the simplest case, ladders were set up vertically. All posts were equipped with warning bells.
  • Fireproof storage facilities with fireproof doors and easily lockable windows, Kura ( 蔵 ), were created. As an alternative or addition, a perforated storage tank, Anakura ( 穴 蔵 ), was created under the house . A common measure for this was 6 × 7 shaku (feet) = 1.81 m × 2.16 m (length × width). The depth was about 1.35 m.
  • As a precaution, water tanks were set up in front of the house and, especially in large buildings, water tanks were attached to the roof ridge.

Big city fires

Big fires in Edo

  • 1601 Edo major fire ( 江 戸 大火 )
  • 1657 Meireki major fire ( 明 暦 の 大火 （振 袖 火 事） )
  • 1668 Great Kambun Fire ( 寛 文 の 大火 )
  • 1682 Temma major fire ( 天和 の 大火 （お 七 火 事） )
  • 1703 Great Genroku Fire ( 元 禄 の 大火 )
  • 1772 Meiwa fire ( 明 和 の 大火 )
  • 1806 Bunkyō fire ( 文 政 の 大火 )
  • 1829 Great Ansei Fire ( 安 政 の 大火 )
  • 1855 Great Ansei earthquake ( 安 政 の 大 地震 )
  • 1872 Wadakuramoniwaichō major fire ( 和田 蔵 門 祝 田 町 の 大火 )
  • 1911 Yoshiwara major fire ( 吉 原 の 大火 )
  • 1923 Great Kantō earthquake ( 関 東 大 地震 )
  • 1932 Shirokiya fire ( 白 木屋 火災 )

Most of the major fires are named after the current government motto, and some have been given a nickname.

  • The devastating Meireki fire is also known as the “long-sleeved fire” ( 振 袖 火 事 , furisode kaji ). Legend has it that a girl killed herself out of unhappy love. When her long-sleeved kimono was about to be burned, sparks flew up and the fire broke out. This fire broke out again for three days in a row and was particularly devastating. The 70 m high wooden castle tower of Edo Castle was also lost. It was not rebuilt.
  • The Temma fire, which is also counted among the particularly large fires, is said to have originated from arson by a girl, Yaoya Oshichi ( 八百 屋 お 七 ), who was also in love . The girl was sentenced to death although she was believed to be a minor.
  • The Shirokiya fire that broke out in the Shirokiya department store killed only 14 people, but is still known today because the female employees did not dare to jump into the jumping nets provided.

Big fires in Kyoto

  • 1661 Great Kyoto Fire ( 京都 大火 )
  • 1661 Great Kambun Fire ( 寛 文 の 大火 )
  • 1698 Great Uji Fire ( 宇 治 の 大火 )
  • 1707 Hōeii major fire ( 宝 永 の 大火 )
  • 1730 Nishijin Great Fire ( 西 陣 の 大火 )
  • 1788 Temmei large fire ( 天明の大火 )

Big fires in Osaka

  • 1724 Ōsaka fire ( 大阪 の 大火 )
  • 1789 Kamichō fire ( 上 町 の 大火 )
  • 1791 Great Horie Shimanouchi Fire ( 堀 江 ・ 島 之 内 の 大火 )
  • 1792 Great Temman Fire ( 天 満 の 大火 )
  • 1837 Tempō major fire ( 天保 の 大火 )

Image selection

  • Meireki fire

  • Watchtower in the Bakuro district

  • The matoi of some fire brigades

  • Areas of application of the fire brigades

  • Equipping a fire brigade around 1870.

Remarks

  1. ↑ Such jackets were also used privately, i.e. to escape from a fire area. They were often lavishly decorated.
  2. ↑ See e.g. B. Hiroshige's woodcut with a view of the Nihonbashi Bridge.
  3. ↑ a b c One of the three major fires in Edo
  4. ↑ a b c One of the three major fires of the Kansei period (1789–1801)

literature