Asakusa Fireworks Festival

tags , , , dot 12 comments
2010/08/05
187 words
by Fredrik Olsen

On my previous two trips to Japan I have always found something to be amazed and surprised by, but until last weekend I hadn’t found anything new to be amazed and surprised by yet. However, Asakusa Hanabi (fireworks festival) was truly surprising and amazing. I have never, ever seen so many people gather for this kind of festival. I’m pretty sure there were literally millions of people on the streets, everywhere, watching this thing. The fireworks went on for one and a half hours non-stop.

The fireworks were spectacular, but what really amazed and surprised me was the amount of people that had spent the whole day sitting on a tarp, eating grilled food and drinking beer, just having an awesome time waiting for the fireworks. I give you a video of said fireworks, but it cannot begin to capture the spirit of the festival and what it felt to be among those (at least) hundreds of thousands of people celebrating on the streets. I don’t know if they were celebrating anything in particular, I don’t think so. I just think Hanabi festivals exist because they are fun.

12 comments

tetris

  • http://twitter.com/DeXimE DeXimE

    That looked indeed pretty amazing… What was the police woman saying all the time? “Walk along people, nothing to see here”? ;P

    I wonder for how many thousands (millions maybe even?) of Euro's they shoot into the air during the event.

    • http://tetrisrockstar.com/ Fredrik

      We were walking along this path were you weren't allowed to stand still, but people were stopping all the time anyway so it was impossible to move. So I think she said “you're not allowed to stand here, keep moving”. But no-one listened :P

  • Nina

    Seems like an amazing festival! I can imagine the camera does not do the fireworks justice.

  • Nina

    Just a question, I just put your blog on my home screen on my iphone, (yes, i finally got an iphone), and there is no picture in the icon, is there meant to be one? And also, how do I get a picture in my little display picture that shows up when I make comments? And why can I not make comments from my iphone? Is it coz it blocks pop-ups?

    • http://tetrisrockstar.com/ Fredrik

      There was no icon picture, but I've put one up now, maybe it works.
      You get a picture either by creating an account at disqus that you log in with or sign in with twitter or facebook instead of choosing guest when you click “Post as..”

      Either that or register your email at gravatar.com and upload a picture there. Signing in via facebook is probably the easiest.

      Btw, is it the iPhone 4?

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509231947 Nina Olsen

        Yes, its an iphone 4. :-)

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509231947 Nina Olsen

        Still cannot see a picture in the icon on my phones home screen tho…

        • http://tetrisrockstar.com/ Fredrik

          I think you would need to remove it and add it again. Not sure though.

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509231947 Nina Olsen

            Yeah i tried that, but still nothing…

          • http://tetrisrockstar.com/ Fredrik

            Now I found out how to do it.. So it should work now.

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509231947 Nina Olsen

            Yepp, now it works. Looks really cool!! :-)

  • René

    Great festival, when you come back it will never be the same for you to see the firework on our Malmö festival. :-)