The Hanten Coats of Edo Firemen (1615 - 1868)

 

  1. Edo Firemen Edo is the old name for Tokyo where many of the hanten were created to protect the firemen and celebrate their achievements. Learn about the dangers they faced and their bravery that won them the admiration of their fellow townspeople.

  2. The Tale of Heike Heroes from the epic Tale of Heike inspired the artwork on many hanten and woodblock prints. This article explains the plot of one battle from the Tale of Heike that is a famous and well-loved Kabuki play. Beware! It's more complicated than a soap opera.

    3. Japanese firemen during the Edo Period (1615 - 1868) competed to have the most lavish tattoos. It was a sign of bravery and showed that they were rough and tumble free spirits.

  3. Here you can learn about the novel that started the tattoo craze in Edo Heroes of the Suikoden. The illustrations in the book were by Hokusai and they inspired many of the designs on the painted hanten in the exhibit.

  4. Japanese Tattoo Art starts with the early history of tattoo art in Japan (5th century AD) and follows it to the present day .

  5. The Japanese Tattoo is another history of Japanese tattoos and it includes photographs of modern tattoos

 
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