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Fireworks symbolize the typical Japanese scenery during the summer. The summer vacation season starts between July and August and we can see firework events everywhere in Japan as well as many people wearing yukata's (an informal cotton kimono) and holding paper fans while gathering to see the fireworks. It is said that Japanese fireworks were brought to Japan by the Portuguese when they came to Tanegashima in 1543 introducing guns. However, it was not until the Edo era that firework events like we know them today, were held as an entertainment event for ordinary people. In 1733, the 8th Shogun Yoshimune displayed fireworks at |
| "Ryogoku Hanabi" Utagawa Hiroshige |
Okawabata to soothe the spirit of the victims of famine and cholera that was prevailing all over Japan from |
the origin of famous fireworks popular pleasure of the Edo people was to take
a walk after sunset and enjoy the coolness of the evening. Especially, Sumida
River was the most popular place for a stroll. In the early Edo era, the bridges
that crossed the Sumida river were the Ryogoku-bashi, Shin-o-bashi, and the
Eitai-bashi. Since the Ryogoku-bashi area was the most popular place of the 3
bridges mentioned, most people gathered to enjoy its coolness. The period from
May 28 until Aug.28, teashops, restaurants, show tents and storyteller theaters
were allowed to be open until midnight. The Ryogoku-bashi area of Sumida River
was so crowded with houseboats and vendor boats that it seemed as if people could
cross the river by walking on the boats that were lined up. Thus, the prosperity
of the summer season in the Ryogoku-bashi area was a symbolic annual event in
Edo culture. The fireworks became a local specialty; They were displayed every
night as long as sponsors supported them.
The most famous pyrotechnists were "Tama-ya" and "kagi-ya". Tama-ya took
their position upstream of Ryogoku-bashi and Kagi-ya went downstream to
compete with the brilliantness of the flowered shapes that bloomed in the
night skies. Since the fireworks of that era used black gunpowder, it was not
as bright as today's fireworks. Since the Meiji-era, various kinds of chemicals
have been imported to Japan.
Japanese fireworks have made more exquisite and elaborate by those who
have succeeded the skills of Tama-ya and Kagi-ya. As of today, many
pyrotechnists still manufacture handcrafted fireworks with their own skill
and they have implemented the old skills and characteristics for tints and
changing colors. The process of making paper shells for wrapping gunpowder
is thought to be the most important process. Because the strength of the shell
determines the size of "bon"(a Japanese style circle tea tray) and spreading
speed of the stars. Pyrotechnists paid attention to making shells by sticking
Japanese paper one by one and drying it under the sun every time.
The fireworks made by this process are considered one of the most beautiful
types of fireworks made today and they are exported to 24 countries around
the world.
Schedule of firework events