New Year Traditions in Japan: Dezome Shiki

A Dezome Shiki is a Japan-only New Year tradition involving the fire brigade. It is sometimes translated as the 'first appearance' of the fire brigade in the New Year, based on a literal type of translation. Others translate it as a New Year Fire Fighters Ceremony. But neither translations really do it justice. Its more like a festival or fair of sorts, where the fire brigade show off their skills. 

Most of the dezome shiki involve, at the very least, an opening ceremony, a parade of fire fighters, a display of the brigade's vehicles and a demonstration of fire fighting skills. You can also see simulated helicopter rescues at many of the dezome shiki. Many of them also have a water jet display. Some have live music and traditional performances such as shishimai. Several dezome shiki also have 'hashigo nori', which involves acrobatics on bamboo ladders. For me personally, the 'hashigo nori' are the highlight of the fair. 

There are two very famous dezome shiki in Japan. One in Tokyo and one in Kanazawa. The Tokyo Dezome Shiki is on January 6th annually. The Kanazawa Dezome Shiki is on the first Sunday after January 5th annually. I have been to neither of those (but I do aim to get to the Kanazawa one someday) but I have been to several dezome shiki in my own prefecture of Saitama. Most of them were on Sunday January 12th in 2025. But there are still several more scheduled for later in the month.

Have you been to a dezome shiki before? Did you go this year?