Kagatobi Dezomeshiki Festival 加賀鳶出初式
Inflamed Ballet
Half naked firefighters perform acrobatics in the freezing cold. This tantalizing show takes place every January 6th, during the Kagatobi Dezomeshiki festival.
In front of the main turret of Kanazawa Castle, more than a thousand firefighters perform in the snow, when it is invited to the party. Forty-eight of them whirl and twirl, perched on tall ladders. This acrobatic practice has its origins in the Edo period, when the fire fighters were guided by the cries of one of their colleagues, who, from the top of a ladder, followed the overall progress of the fire.
The tradition is still perpetuated today and results in a superb demonstration worthy of the best acrobats, at the first annual training of the city's fire stations. Wrap up warm: winter is harsh in Kanazawa, contrary to what the participants in the parade may lead you to believe, as they roam around the castle park in their underwear!
