 Image search results - "hanabi" |
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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