Dezomeshiki (Firefighter Festival)

One of the largest New Year's festivals in Tokyo is the Dezomeshiki. We attended the event on Sunday, January 6th, at the Tokyo Big Sight convention centre.

The firefighter festival and parade commemorates the workers who helped banished the fires at each of the Kaga feudal lord's estates during the Edo Period (1603-1868), when Tokyo was known as the City of Fires. In short, when the fires were successfully extinguished, the men employed earned fame and were invited to exhibit their skills in fire fighting in Kanazawa. Back then, they used manual fire engines, fire hooks and ladders and performed on New Year's Day. Since then, it has become a well respected annual matsuri (festival) in Tokyo.

During the outdoor presentation, over 5,000 professionals paraded through the area in uniform.

Rescue vehicles of Tokyo come in all forms

One of the highlights of the event were the men dressed in Edo period attire showcasing bamboo ladders and traditional firefighting equipment. Before a crowded audience, firefighters performed acrobatic stunts at the highest point of the ladder while the men below held the ladder vertically balanced using hooks on sticks at every angle.

Below, is a close-up photo of the men holding the ladder still.

Later, a motorcade of fire trucks of all sizes, including Hazmat vehicles and ambulances circled the area, while four rescue choppers hovered pass the crowd.

Throughout the Dezomeshiki, the Tokyo Fire Department takes the opportunity to showcase their latest equipment and firefighting techniques using dramatization. One scene was comprised of a narrow four-story makeshift building, which was set ablaze while firefighters worked to extinguish the fires. It added excitement to see the rescue teams scale the walls from the roof, while paramedics, police and Hazmat teams surrounded the scene. They also acted out emergency scenarios caused by earthquakes. Over the speakers, a narrator described the scenes while informing audience of safety procedures.

After touring the indoor exhibits, and trying on some heavy protective firefighting gear, masks and helmets, we decided to walk the short distance to Palette Town in Odaiba. It was a beautiful day for a walk along the waterside. Buildings are scarce and less crowded than in Tokyo.

In Odaiba, we rode the main attraction at Palette Town, the Giant Sky Wheel, boasting a range of colours resembling a large palette. Markus happens to be thrilled by Ferris wheels. He's enjoyed it ever since his first ride on the Big O at the Tokyo Dome Amusement Park in December. The 16-minute ride on the Giant Sky Wheel takes you up 115 metres high, offering the greatest views of Tokyo including the Tokyo Tower, the Rainbow Bridge, and all the way to the skyscraper districts of Shinjuku.

We were able to watch airplanes minutes apart taking off and landing at the nearby Haneda Airport...that was a bit nerving to see for Rodney and I, but Markus LOVED it! Palette Town is also known to be a hot spot for shopping. We were able to get in on some year-end bargains at some of my favourite shops at the Sun Walk Shopping Mall. Sales are always a good thing!

Our little guy was easily captivated by the views.

In this photo, Markus is pointing out to an airplane taking off from Haneda Airport.

Our 800 yen souvenir snapshot from the Giant Sky Wheel.

Rodney's capture of Tokyo Tower and the endless skyline of skyscrapers, beyond the Rainbow Bridge.

A rather interesting close up shot of Fuji TV Building, taken from the monorail. Fuji TV is one of Japan's private nationwide TV stations.