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no quilted together with vertical rows of became a priest, and his most famous
Fireman's jacket with design of hero heavy cotton thread. These padded act of austerity was standing under
garments protected the wearer from the icy cascade of Ñachi Waterfall. He
Paste-resist dye on
falling debris and when
froze to death under the falls but was
soaked in
plain-weave cotton, quilted water guarded against heat and brought back to life by the Buddhist
131.9x124.4 (517/8x49) flames. The crest of the firefighting deity Fudó Myóó. Mongaku is often
Tokyo National Museum
troop was visible on the exterior of pictured holding the coiled rope of
a jacket, but after the flames were Fudó and a bell, as this figure does.
• Firemen's jackets were part of an
support the iden-
wavelets
ensemble for firefighting that included doused, the garment could be turned The frozen of this figure as Mongaku.
tification
a hood with a shielded opening, inside out to reveal a strong and
trousers, and gloves. Constructed for easily readable hand-painted design. Perhaps firemen who wore this design
were calling on Mongaku's determina-
flexibility and strength, the T-shaped The figure painted on the inside of tion as well as Fudó's mercy in their
jackets have multiple layers of fabric this jacket appears to be the priest struggle against the flames. HG
Mongaku, who had fallen in love with
a married woman and tragically mur-
dered her, mistaking her in the night
for her husband. In atonement he