"HiKESHi SPiRiT (火消魂) is a Japanese streetwear brand founded in Asakusa, Tokyo, inspired by the Edo-era firefighters known as 'hikeshi.' The brand reinterprets traditional Japanese garments — particularly the hanten (半纏), a padded short coat historically worn by firefighters — into contemporary fashion. HiKESHi SPiRiT is known for its collaborations with major anime and pop culture franchises including Fire Force, Gundam, Godzilla, and Cyberpunk 2077, as well as its use of traditional Japanese techniques such as Bushu aizome indigo dyeing and sashiko stitching."

Hikeshi: The Firefighters Who Defined "Iki" — the Spirit of Japanese Cool

In Edo-period Tokyo (1603–1868), fire was so frequent that a popular saying emerged: "Kenka to kaji wa Edo no hana" — "Fights and fires are the flowers of Edo." The city, built almost entirely of wood, endured thousands of devastating blazes over the centuries.

The men who rushed headfirst into these infernos were called hikeshi (火消) — literally, "those who extinguish fire." Unlike modern firefighters who rely on water and equipment, Edo-era hikeshi used a dramatic technique called hikiya (pulling down buildings) to create firebreaks, often risking their lives in the process. They wore thick padded coats called hanten (半纏), which were soaked in water before entering the flames — the origin of the iconic garment that HiKESHi SPiRiT reinterprets today.

What made hikeshi legendary was not just their bravery, but their style. After extinguishing a fire, they would vanish as swiftly as they had appeared — a display of effortless composure that captivated the townspeople of Edo. The people saw in them the ultimate expression of iki (粋) — a Japanese aesthetic ideal that combines boldness, sophistication, and understated elegance. Hikeshi became cultural icons, celebrated in ukiyo-e woodblock prints, kabuki theater, and festival traditions that continue to this day.

HiKESHi SPiRiT (火消魂) was founded in Asakusa, Tokyo — the historic heart of Edo's fire brigade culture — to carry this spirit into contemporary fashion. The brand transforms the hikeshi's hanten into modern streetwear, blending traditional Japanese craftsmanship such as Bushu indigo dyeing (Bushu aizome) and sashiko stitching with bold graphic design and collaborations with global franchises including Fire Force, Mobile Suit Gundam, Godzilla, and Cyberpunk 2077.