happi coat, Japan, Showa (circa 1940), cm 86x124. Happi are those traditional Japanese work coats often wearing name of enterprise or related symbols, as sort of function as today’s commercial advertising . This coat might resemble in design and colouring those used by firemen in action, but it lacks the so typical multilayer structure and heavy ‘sashiko’ stiching, so it was possibly associated with one of the numerous public associations supporting (raising funds) the activities of firemen, whose affiliates raised funds wearing the coat to better explain purpose. The number ‘41’ on the collar might refer to Fire Brigade number. Cotton cloth dyed in tsutsugaki technique. Uncommon.