Summer fireworks festivals are a tradition dating back hundreds of years. Originally for the powerful elite, there were public fireworks along the banks of Sumidagawa in 1733.
These days summer fireworks are an excuse for everyone to get dressed up in their yukata and spend some time outdoors. Over the last 50 years, the weeks spanning mid-July and mid-August have become an increasingly loud and colorful time of year.
Last night, we picnicked on the embankment of Edogawa and watched competing fireworks companies shoot off 14,000 fireworks in 75 minutes. It was splendid. This video doesn’t really capture the jaw-dropping majesty of the event, but it gives a taste of three moments during the spectacle.
Edogawa Hanabi 0’50” (2.8MB Quicktime)
My mother-in-law also went to see fireworks at EDOGAWA. I heard this year they mainly dusplayed Japanese type fireworks called wa-hanabi, though these days the current type is Westan type.
Posted by: Ｍｉｅｋｏ on August 4, 2003 09:30 AM