Image search results - "fireworks" |
Needless to say, the subway/trains stations were jammed with people by 5 pm. This is when I got off the train at Shinozaki Station on the Toei Shinjuku subway line on Aug.1, 2009.
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Still in Shinozaki Station heading for the exit. Koiwa Station on the JR Sobu Line must also have been crowded.
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Now walking to the Edogawa riverbank.
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Getting to the steps up the riverbank.
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After getting to the top of the riverbank, this is the spectacle I came to see and photograph.
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Some 900,000 of humanity gathered here for the Edogawa-ku Fireworks in Aug.
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And you think your largest soccer stadium can hold a lotta people. Come see here.
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It was a lot more crowded than the last time I saw these fireworks years ago.
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The Edogawa Ward Fireworks display is one of Tokyo's largest with a massive attendance of 900,000 people in both Edogawa Ward and neighboring Ichikawa city in Chiba. .
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People are spread out along the riverbank of Edogawa River. Held on the first Sat. of Aug. at 7:15 pm to 8:25 pm. If weather is bad, it is held on the next day
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The fireworks started exactly at 7:15 pm.
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Mt. Fuji
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I'm definitely not a good fireworks photographer. To avoid the crowds, I left the scene about 30 min. before the fireworks ended.
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Back at Shinozaki Station, it was quite quick to get on a train. "Keep walking slowly and do not stop."
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I shuddered to think how crowded the station would become in about 30-40 min.
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Another major summer event in Otsu is the Biwako Fireworks held in Aug. Near Hama-Otsu and Otsu Port, the prime viewing place, almost the entire place was blocked off with walls and fences to give priority to paid spectator seats (several thousand yen).
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No entry. From Hama-Otsu, it was very difficult to figure out where the free viewing area was. These photos were taken on Aug. 11, 2006.
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浜大津と大津港の近辺では非常に不快感でした。柵で閉鎖されて有料の観客席だけ。最低の花火会場。
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Pay money to watch the sky. I wonder if they actually filled up these seats. One of the most commercialized fireworks I've ever seen.
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A mass of people come to watch Lake Biwa Fireworks in summer. Free seating, finally. But located somewhat faraway from the prime site. びわ湖大花火大会
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Instead of going to Hama-Otsu Station, go to Shimanoseki Station (Keihan streetcar) to reach the free viewing area.
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Plastic mats are used to reserve spaces for groups. They would place these rocks, etc., to secure the mats. Some ill-mannered people would not bother to discard the sheets and rocks after the fireworks were over.
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People used to place these vinyl mats to save a fireworks viewing spot as early as 2 weeks before the fireworks date. However, from Aug. 2010, the city no longer allows this. You can save a spot only on the day of the fireworks.
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The word on her fan says it all. Otsu, Shiga.
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This bridge seemed to be a favorite spot for photographers. It later was filled with standing-room only crowds.
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I sat here.
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The crowd stretches very far down the shore.
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The tall building is Otsu Prince Hotel.
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Kitty
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The final fireworks were half-dome explosions over the water. I missed it because I left early for the tiny train station on the Keihan Line.
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On the grounds of Shinoda Jinja Shrine is this large wooden panel with a large design. It is about 15 meters high and 20 meters wide. Held annually on May 4 at Shinoda Shrine, the Shinoda Hanabi display is a surprisingly spectacular fireworks display.
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If you think it looks pretty plain and unimpressive, you'll be in for a big surprise later in the evening. MAP
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This is actually an ancient form of Japanese fireworks called wabi 和火(わび).
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People sit to reserve a good spot for viewing the fireworks.
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First we heard taiko drum beating and they entered the shrine at around 8:30 pm.
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Later, young men carried this huge column made of straw looking like a torch. Are they gonna light this too??
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Meanwhile, they had a good number of fireworks-shooting torches.
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They erected the straw column next to the one that was already standing.
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Next, they had some great fireworks in the sky and everybody watched.
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Boom!
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At 9:45 pm, they lit a smaller panel which burst into colorful fireworks to form a picture. They used this small rocket mounted on a wire speeding to the panel. The little thing lit up the panel.
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The smaller panel which burst into colorful fireworks to form a picture.
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Unfortuntaely, the smoke blew in front of the design so we could hardly see it.
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Next was Niagara Falls.
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Niagara Falls, a crowd pleaser.
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Shinoda Fireworks
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Finally at 9:50 pm, they shot a small rocket to the big panel which then exploded loud enough to knock your pants off.
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The huge explosion was followed by loud whistles and smaller pops and crackles.
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A potpourri of firecrackers, twirling lights, and everything else lit up and blew up like pandemonium.
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Shinoda Fireworks climaxed with an incredible spectacle of sight and sound. The ancient Japanese sure knew how to make and show fireworks.
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Finally, things calmed down after about a minute and this picture appeared.
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Even the moon on the upper left.
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This is the glowing picture on the huge wooden panel. I then had to rush back to the train station to catch the last train home.
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Shinoda Shrine address: 滋賀県近江八幡市上田町1613
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On the evening of Aug. 5, the Tanabata Festival Eve, a fireworks display is held at Nishi Koen Park. Here are many girls in yukata waiting for friends at Sendai Station to see the fireworks.
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Nishi Park in Sendai is full of people on fireworks night.
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This road was filled with people as well for the fireworks.
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Sendai Tanabata Fireworks on Aug. 5, 7:30 pm to 9 pm. It was impressive. The theme was "Ring of Love."
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Held during the Bon season on Aug. 16, toro nagashi is candle-lit paper lanterns floated on the ocean as a Buddhist offering to the spirits of the deceased.Tsuruga holds its mass toro nagashi (6,000 lanterns) on its famous Kehi no Matsubara beach at 6:30 pm, and then shoots off a grand fireworks display. My video of Toro Nagashi and brilliant marine fireworks taken on Aug. 16, 2017.
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Line to board the free shuttle bus from Tsuruga Station to Kehi no Matsubara Beach.The waiting time was minimal since buses kept coming often. They chartered buses from numerous bus companies.
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15-min. walk from the bus stop to the beach. People everywhere.
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Crowd on Kehi no Matsubara Beach
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The crowd stretched to the very far side of the bay.
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At 6:30 pm, people started releasing their candlelit lanterns into the ocean. Tsuruga, Fukui Pref.
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You could buy a lantern for 500 yen. Choice of three colors: Red, blue, and yellow.
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Toro nagashi at Kehi no Matsubara Beach in Tsuruga, Fukui Pref.
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The lanterns say "For the Spirits of Past Generations."
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I was sitting on a jetty where many lanterns got stuck. We could feel the hot air from the candles.
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As it got darker, the scene got prettier.
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Lanterns along the jetty.
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By 7:30 pm, it was completely dark.
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Fireworks started at 7:30 pm.
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Great match with the lit lanterns and fireworks.
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Whoever thought of combining toro nagashi with fireworks was a genius.
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Toro nagashi and fireworks at Tsuruga, Fukui Pref.
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Bright fireworks light up the audience on the beach.
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The fireworks were brilliant and world-class, included a few waterborne "half-dome" fireworks.
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Line for the free shuttle bus back to Tsuruga Station. They had many shuttle buses so we didn't have to wait long.It was a very efficient and quick operation. Although I did leave early.
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