Fire procession costume

This costume, comprising a jacket, bib, and headband, was worn over a kimono in a procession intended to remind everyone to prevent fires. During the Edo period and earlier, fires were common because most urban structures were made of wood. Therefore each samurai organized and trained his retainers in the art of firefighting. In fire parades each samurai dressed in a formal costume like this one.

The weft of the jacket is made of the fiber of the arrowroot (kuzu) plant. Linen (asa) is used for the warp. Since this fabric thus made is very lightweight, it was used only for summer costumes. On the back of this costume there are three family crests in white linen outlined with black silk ribbon. Both the bib and the headband are made of the same fabric and decorated similarly. The edges of the costume are trimmed with thin bands of black silk ribbon.