Moon and smoke

In meiji Japan, firemen occupied a place of honor. They were widely respected for their acts of bravery and skill. Many were also heavily tattooed. They wore heavy jackets made of multi-layered cotton which were soaked with water while fighting a blaze. The coats were often embroidered with the emblem of the firefighter's company (as in this print), or fanciful and elaborate images of dragons, etc, which were reminicient of tattoos. Competition was common between companies. Here a fireman holds his standard and gazes across the flames towards a fireman from another company.