Q2
Did you know that the “Kiyari singers” are also the people who have protected this town?
Answer
The carpenters who carried on the tradition of "kiyari" were not only "town firefighters" who protected the town from fires, but also "guardians of the town" who supported all aspects of community life, including night watch duties and organizing festivals. The ladder-climbing performance at the New Year's Firefighters' Parade is a skill that conveys the spirit of those firefighters to this day.
Explanation
Originally a work song used to coordinate efforts when transporting heavy timber and stone, the "kiyari" has been passed down by the tobi craftsmen.At that time, roofers were not only skilled craftsmen specializing in high-altitude work, but also served as town firefighters (machibikeshi), responsible for “demolition firefighting”—deliberately tearing down buildings to prevent the spread of fire—thereby protecting the lives of residents.
In addition, as “neighborhood leaders” (chōnaigashira), they played a variety of roles in supporting community life, including maintaining public order through night patrols, managing ditches and wells, preparing for festivals, operating festival floats, putting up New Year’s decorations, repairing houses, and mediating neighborhood disputes.In other words, the Tobi were not merely “people who only showed up during fires,” but rather “guardians of the town” who were present in both everyday life and times of emergency.
The ladder-climbing demonstration performed at the New Year’s Fire Department Parade was originally encouraged as a training exercise for firefighters (known as “hikishi”), who needed to be agile at fire scenes. Today, however, it serves as a showcase of the skills of scaffolders—professionals specializing in work at heights—and has been passed down as a technique that symbolizes the “spirit of the firefighters.”
