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Tokyo Fireworks 2011 and Senko hanabi

By Yoshi, July 26, 2011


What is a fun in summer, in Japan?

One is “Fireworks”! We call them “Hanabi” (はなび, 花火).
 

 

 
They color the night sky beautifully. Fireworks displays and events are held at many places in Japan.
This summer, some fireworks have been canceled or postponed in consideration of the hardship of the Tohoku Earthquake victims.
But some takes place for cheering everyone up!

This summer’s major fireworks in Tokyo are,

- Jingu-Gaien fireworks festival
6th Aug. (Sat) 19:30~20:30
At Jingu stadium
JR Sendagaya station, Ichigaya station (Sobu line), Subway Gaien-mae station (Ginza Line)
10000 fireworks
More details (In Japanese)

-Sumida River fireworks festival
27th Aug. (Sat) 19:05~20:30
At Sumida river side (in Asakusa)
Asakusa staion (Subway)
20000 fireworks
More details (In English)

- Yokohama Fireworks festival
17th Aug. (Wed) 19:00-20:00
At Minato-Mirai area, Yokohama
More details (In Japanese)

- Adachi fireworks festival
8th Oct. (Sat) 18:00~18:50
Arakawa Riverside
10000 fireworks
More details (In Japanese)

Hope you have opportunity to enjoy “Hanabi” festivals.
 
 
if you cannot, don’t worry!
You can enjoy fireworks by yourselves. We can buy fireworks at stores in Japan ;)
 

 

 
I’ll introduce one firework, “Senko Hanabi” (せんこうはなび, 線香花火).
This literal translation is “incense stick firework”, one of Japanese traditional Fireworks.
 

 

 
This simple firework has 4 steps.
1st: Bottan (ぼたん, 牡丹) (tree peony)
2nd: Matsuba (まつば, 松葉) (pine needle)
3rd: Yanagi (やなぎ, 柳) (willow)
Last: chiri-guku (ちりぎく, 散り菊)(falling chrysanth)
 

 

 

 
It’s very small and simple, but very magnetic! Japanese love this firework :)
It has a kind of beauty like “wabi-sabi”, I think.
Please try it!