Firefighting in Japan

thumb|314x314px|1833 artwork depicting firefighters with and ladders, Edo-Tokyo Museum A was a flag used in Edo period Japan by hikeshi firemen to notify people of a fire near or within a building. It was taken up on a roof near the burning building by the and waved to draw the attention of other groups of firefighters, who would then hurry to the site of the fire to assist. Each different group of firemen in the Edo period had their own to identify themselves.thumb|315x315px|Members of the group with in Ikegami Honmon-ji|Ikegami, Tokyo, JapanIn modern Japan, the is only used for ceremonial pu

fire department of Tokyo, Japan

thumb|Utagawa Yoshitora, Hikeshi with a [[matoi]] Hikeshi () were fire brigades in Edo and Meiji-era Tokyo. Members of these brigades were also called by this term.

external agency within the MIC in Japan