28th July 2021
Fireworks shows in Japan differ from fireworks shows in many other countries in a number of ways.
The shows are mainly in the summer, with many people watching wearing yukata, a kind of robe. There are lots and lots of fireworks shows! They are almost always near water – rivers, lakes or the sea and the fireworks are often complex, with many shows lasting for two hours. Many shows are very big with hundreds of thousands of people watching some of them.
Another difference is that many shows are competitions. At these shows the fireworks makers compete with each other and the names of their sponsors are called out during the shows. These competitive shows are called 競技大会 (kyōgitaikai) and there are rules about what the fireworks can look like. Non-competitive shows don’t have such rules.
When thinking about all fireworks shows, both competitive and non-competitive ones, about 70% (seventy percent) of the fireworks used at the shows are Chinese made. The Chinese ones are usually cheaper. Generally the more complex ones are Japanese made and the faster, shorter ones are Chinese made. The more complex fireworks usually go higher and wider, the colour changes more and they take longer to disappear.
Handheld fireworks for private use, for example sparklers, are sold in many shops, even drugstores, during the summer months. Anyone can buy them, including children, although children are supposed to use them only when they are with adults. Hand-held fireworks are not so popular though and most people’s image of fireworks are the big fireworks shows.
■ In our country fireworks shows are usually in ( time of year).
■ Have you been to a fireworks show before?
■ Do you ever wear yukata in your life?
■ Have you ever bought fireworks?
■ ~ is a famous fireworks show. ~ .