Children in Coal Pits in the Meiji Era #2: Stilts

A child was called an expert in using stilts when he/she became able to walk on one stilt, shouldering the other. Hard training was needed to acquire such a technique. Children played with stilts only in winter, only starting to play with them from New Year’s Day. At that time, each child only wore a lined kimono over a flannel shirt. Though tight-sleeved dark-blue short coats were available, children did not wear them because such coats prevented them from moving freely. Knitted goods were not available in pits. No child wore socks because socks at that time were handmade with strings. I never saw a child wearing a scarf.