Japanese Culture and Tradition: Hanabi Taikai

Monday, February 18th, 2013 | Filed under Culture,Culture,Customs,Japan,Latest Articles,Lifestyle,Tokyo,Tokyo Life,World | Posted by whiteleejay1

Japanese Culture and Tradition: Hanabi Taikai

Hiroshi Saito and Sarah Deschamps

Modern Tokyo Times

The hanabi taikai season will witness countless firework festivals all over Japan throughout July and August. Therefore, whole communities will be gearing up for another hanabi taikai season all over this country whereby people can enjoy amazing firework displays. For tourists visiting Japan in July and August, then it is well worth checking if a festival will occur during your stay.

At night the skyline will be punctuated in July and August by amazing firework festivals which are extremely popular. Traditional clothes and themes related to hanabi taikai are also another important aspect of this tradition which was brought back to life in the late 1970s. Therefore, aspects of continuity flow because of the various fusions which have entered hanabi taikai even if the meaning is entirely different today.

The Sumidagawa firework festival originated in the eighteenth century but far from being a tradition based on joy and pleasure, the original meaning was very different. This applies to the Sumidagawa firework display in 1732 being part of a new festival which was related to remembering the dead. Sadly, in this period of Japanese history the country was blighted by famine, disease, and poverty related to the negative economy.

It soon became clear that the festival had multiple elements which were positive. Firstly, individuals could collectively mourn people who had passed away. Secondly, the firework display was seen to represent the celebration of life and this was very important given the reality of the majority of people. Thirdly, for individuals who suffered from poverty, the firework display was a rare moment of entertainment whereby people from all walks of life could enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. Fourthly, it helped to install unity within the psyche and to unite people. Finally, for Edo leaders it had a political side and you also had other factors related to the Sumidagawa firework festival.

In an earlier article by Modern Tokyo Times, Rhiannon Thomas commented that “The Japanese word for fireworks, hanabi, literally means “fire flowers.” Perhaps it is this name that has inspired Japanese inventors to create fireworks that are world-famous for their beauty and ingenuity. Focusing on the sight rather than the sound, Japanese hanabi can be crafted to form many amazing shapes in the sky, including writing, cartoon characters, and, of course, their namesake flowers.”

Rhiannon Thomas also comments that “…these hanabi taikai are bustling festivals, offering visitors the chance to play traditional games and buy popular festival snacks from hundreds of stalls. Children and adults alike can try kingyo sukui or “goldfish scooping” – a game in which players attempt to catch as many goldfish as possible from a shallow pool before their flimsy paper scoop breaks.”

In Nagaoka which is located in Niigata the firework display is famous throughout Japan. This applies to the dai-minyo-nagashi which is a traditional folk dance procession and mikoshi which is a portable shrine parade, highlighting the connection of religion in Japan. Of course, the essential ingredient is also the amazing firework display. Therefore, many people flock to the Nagaoka Matsuri in Nagaoka because it incorporates many important aspects of culture within the festival.

The hanabi taikai season will start in July and for many people they can’t wait for the season to start. It may be sultry outside during the months of July and August in Japan but this doesn’t stop the pleasure. Given this, people can’t wait for the amazing firework displays to puncture the skyline.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com