Hanabi

Japanese Fireworks near Osaka

Tamaya!! Kagiya!!

That is what Japanese people (used to) say when they see a nice firework going off in the sky. The tale of two firework craftmens: Kagiya and his apprentice, Tamaya. It was said that, at some point, the student caught up with the master and even surpassed his master's skills. Tamaya often challenge his master and due to a mishap, Tamaya caused a fire that razed village houses. As a result, he was banished but his legacy lives on (source: http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/2995).

So, I am living in Osaka and I've visited some fireworks nearby: the PL, Yodogawa, Ikeda and Itami but I only took shots of PL and Yodogawa fireworks. Fireworks in Japanese is written as 花火, and such events are frequently held in summer. The ladies and men (including childrens) would often dressed in beautiful yukatas when attending such events.

In addition to the fireworks, there are many stalls that sell snacks as well as entertainment stalls:

I am fan of yakiniku (grilled meat on a stick) and there are games where one uses tissue paper (on a frame) to catch objects in water (the normal items are fishes and small rubber balls). Sometimes, there are toys and once I even saw a stall that sells tortoise. Each "tissue gadget" that one uses costs somewhat around ￥300. Another variation of the game is a hoke tied to a tissue and the object is a balloon tied with a long rubber and partially filled with water. One must not wet the the tissue or it would definitely not hold the weight of the balloon. It is not an easy game if one does not know the proper techniques. You might be able to buy some of these fishes or in some cases, you will get one or two of the items to bring back. If you want to be sure, try asking before buying one.

Big events such as these, attract hundreds if not thousands of people. There are a lot of people working to control and direct these crowds and in many cases, the train station would have special crowd control in action. Vehicle access to certain parts of the roads are actually closed in the evening. And be prepared to have massive crowds after the fireworks. My suggestion, if there is time before the last train home, take a good 20 ~ 30 min delay before heading to the station.

Experienced people would carry mats and sometimes, head there early to book good places to view the fireworks. For PL, I actually went there around noon to find for a nice spot and thankfully, I managed to secure a good spot for me and my friends. Some Japanese people actually brought adhesive tapes to mark their areas on the roads before it was closed to vehicles.

For photography, always bring a tripod and use long exposures. I wont be able to give much advice since I am just starting with DSLR photography and lack experience.

Anyway, as of August 2010, here are the information for the hanabi(s):

PL Founder's Festival Fireworks Art

Date & Time: 1 August 2010 (19:45 - 21:00)

Venue: PL Headquarters, Tondabayashi City, Osaka Prefecture

Access: Tondabayashi Station (Kintetsu Nagano)

Website:

Description: Special annual event of the Church of Perfect Liberty climaxing with one of the world's largest fireworks displays, consisting of over 120,000 shots. Good places are reserved for paid seats. However, one can still find free locations with good viewing spots.

Yodogawa Hanabi

Date & Time: 7th August 2010 (19:50 - 20:40)

Venue: Yodogawa River

Access: Juso Station (Hankyu)

Website: http://www.yodohanabi.com/

Description: Plenty of obstruction to view the fireworks. Many of the good places are actually reserved for customers willing to pay ￥3000 or more for a seat.

Ikeda Hanabi

Date & Time: 21st August 2010 (19:20 - 20:20)

Venue: Inagawa River

Access: Ikeda Station (Hankyu)

Website: http://www.city.kawanishi.hyogo.jp/shokai/kisetu/hanabi.html

Description: 6500 shells.

Itami Hanabi

Date & Time: 28th August 2010 (20:00 - 21:00)

Venue: South bridge of Inagawa River

Access: Ikeda Station (Hankyu)

Website: http://www.city.itami.lg.jp/home/TOSHISOZO/SYOKORODO/_8734/0002024.html

Description: 3500 shells. Tons of stalls selling food. Perhaps the most that I've seen so far. No obstruction to view the fireworks.