Dezome-shiki
May 05, 2009
Firefighters in happi coats perform acrobatic stunts on top of bamboo ladders. The ladder stunts were the main event of Japanese New Year celebrations. The demonstrations, called dezome-shiki, were intended to warn people of the dangers of fire, and to demonstrate the agility and courage of the firefighters.
Via Old Photos of Japan. (h/t, Coudal) And yes, it’s still performed today.