刺子半纏 町火消は組町頭所用
Firefighter Jacket Owned by the Head of Ha Gumi
- 資料番号/Collection ID
- 21200014
- 大分類/Category
- 生活民俗 / Lifestyle and Folk Custom
- 小分類/Sub Category
- 事件災害
- 種別/Type
- 防災
- 年代
Creation Date
- 江戸後期 19世紀
- 員数/Number
- 1点
- 法量/Size
- 95 cm x 122.4cm
- 資料群/コレクション名/Materials group/Collection
- 其角堂コレクション
- 解説/Description
- 度重なる大火に見舞われた江戸の町にあって、1720年（享保5）には隅田川以西の市街を分けて「いろは文字」をあてた47組（のち48組）が、その後本所・深川においても16組の火消組織が作られ、江戸時代の終わりに至るまでの基礎となる。
本資料は、日本橋大伝馬町周辺を受け持った「は組」の火消人足が身にまとった刺子半纏。背には「は」の文字、腰には「は組」「消口(けしくち)」と書かれた消札(けしふだ)が配される。消口とは延焼をくい止める場所を指し、鎮火した地点に組名を書いた消札を掲げて組の存在と活動を誇示した。裏側には雲竜と滝が描かれるが、このような水を想起させるモチーフは好まれたようだ。表・裏共に町火消らしい意匠と言える。
The city of Edo repeatedly has been a victim to many large-scale fires. In 1720 (Kyōho 5), 47 teams (later 48) of firefighters, divided according to the hiragana letters of ""iroha"", were formed to protect the area west of Sumida River. Another 16 teams were later created to protect the Honjo and Fukagawa area, and all groups continued to be the basis of the city's fire prevention system until the end of the Edo period.
This is a firefighter jacket worn by a firefighter of ""ha gumi"" that was in charge of the Nihombashi ōdenmachō area. The hiragana, ""ha"", can ben seen on the back side, and illustrations of wooden tags called ""keshifuda"" with the words ""ha gumi"" and ""keshikuchi"" are designed around the waist. Keshikuchi refers to a point location determined by firefighters to prevent the spread of fire. They also used keshifuda to signify where their team exstinguished the fire and to proclaim their achievement. On the inside of the jacket, we find a dragon flying through the clouds, a motif favored by firefighters due to its association with water. The jacket embodies the spirit of town firefighters.
