Hanabi

A hanabi festival is a time to let your senses be assaulted by color, noise and smells.

Hanabi literally means fire flower and that's what you'll see during a hanabi festival! Lots and lots of fireworks creating flowers and more in the night sky. Beautiful!

Tokyo fireworks festivals are something else and still blow me away every year. It's usually a minimum hour long show that keeps your eyes fixed on the night sky with a regular "oooh" and "aaaah" escaping your lips every so often. You just can't help it!

Find out where they are and what to expect below.

Tokyo Fireworks Festivals

The largest Tokyo fireworks festival is on the Sumida river, near Asakusa. The Japanese name for this event is 'Sumidagawa Hanabi Taikai'. With an average 1 million people coming each year to join the festivities, you need to plan ahead to get a good seat.

This particular event is held on the last Saturday in July every year. In case of rain or bad weather, the event will be postponed, usually till the next night or the next weekend.

A feature of the Sumida River show is the competition between 10 different manufacturers to win the spot of best firework creation. It is a tradition in Japan for this kind of contest to take place and it stems from a long history.

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History of Hanabi Festivals

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Fireworks were invented by the Chinese during the Tang dynasty. They first became popular in Japan during the Edo period thanks to the Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Tokugawa saw how the flashes and bangs of gunpowder could be used for aesthetic purposes and encouraged development in this area. That initial idea turned into the light and sound shows of modern Tokyo fireworks. He definitely deserves a thank you for that in my opinion!

Originally, the rivalry was between feudal lords as to who could put on the best hanabi show. When the Sumida river fireworks began back in 1733, the main manufacturer was the Tamaya family.

A few years into the event, however, the Kagiya family took it upon themselves to compete. That competition continues to today with sponsors and manufacturers vying to be the ones to get the loudest 'Wow' or 'Sugoi' of approval.

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Hanabi Facts

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As we said above, the word hanabi literally means 'flowers of fire' and that's exactly what the perfect Tokyo fireworks will be.

The name of this particular kind of firework is 'warimono'. It should be flawlessly symmetrical and explode in a spherical bloom, similar to the chrysanthemum flower. Actually, it's amazing to see some of the shapes created by these modern day Tokyo fireworks.

Tokyoites will also hold their own private fireworks parties during July and August.

Convenience stores across the city will be selling 'toy' fireworks for home use. Many will take them to an open space and enjoy a smaller scale private viewing with friends. If you can find a balcony with a good view it can make the perfect private sightseeing spot if you happen to be near one of the major show sights such as the Sumida or Tamagawa rivers.

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Dressing Up for Tokyo Fireworks

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In summer the yukata, or summer style kimono, will be on parade at Tokyo fireworks festivals everywhere.

They are cool, comfortable and beautiful to look at. If you've ever fancied wearing one, this is the perfect opportunity. They are on sale at this time of year in department stores across Tokyo. You can spend a fortune if you wish, but it's not necessary. You can buy a simple and stylish yukata for around ¥10,000. Some people also wear the happi, traditional matsuri clothes in Japan.

There are many hanabi festivals in Tokyo and the surrounding area during this season. For a list of Tokyo fireworks with dates, times and access information, see the Japan Times festivals section.

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