the traditional firemen New Year's ceremony, 300 memorial

Kaga-tobi performance

 Today the traditional firemen ceremony has been held in Kanazawa castle park,Kanazawa city. This year has been 300 memorial year since "Kaga-tobi",the firemen group of Kaga clan,during Edo period."Tobi" means "Kite" because they were originally carpenter called "Tobi" who moved from on roof to on roof like "Kite".

"Kaga-tobi" Ukiyoe

300 years ago,Tokugawa shogunate ordered "Daimyo",the lord of clan" to make the firemen group and stayed them in Edo,Tokyo.At that time,Kaga clan,Kanazawa city, was No2 power next to Edo,Tokyo.

 Therefore the Kaga-firemen group"Kaga-tobi" has fascinated many people,so that they were drawing "Ukiyoe",the painting during Edo period.As you know,famous Japanese Ukiyoe painter is "Hokusai".

  At the Kanazawa castle park many tourists including foreigners or people visited

and saw their performance on ladders.You can see this "Kaga-tobi" performance on January and June. On June their performance has been showed on Samurai parade.