Fireworks festivals aren’t just a widely anticipated summer fixture in Japan, they’re also a cultural cornerstone, with thousands employed in fireworks-related jobs. Writer Manami Okazaki looks beyond the visual spectacle in this 2018 longform read.
In a nutshell:
- Japan’s first fireworks display occurred during a 1613 meeting between a British envoy to King James I and Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu.
- While fireworks displays are usually associated with summer, the city of Daisen in Akita Prefecture holds events throughout the year.
- Some commercial producers also make smaller gangu (toy) fireworks for children and the general public.
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