Flowers of Fire: Illustrations from Japanese Fireworks Catalogues (ca. 1880s)

It's worth to mention that fireworks have a special place in Japanese culture. Notably in summer time there are fireworks events happening around country, many of which are spectacular in size, visuals and musical choreography. Some people are booking trips in advance to visit multiple spots even at expense of paid holidays. Even if you're not willing to travel but live in or near by of bigger city you can visit at least couple of spots there. It's so deeply baked into the culture that last year, during lockdown, government decided to shot a single bomb from multiple spots around the country at designated time so everyone could see it through their own windows.

Those events are massive. Usually police force is involved to steer the crowds. Streets are closed. Disruption everywhere. But, oh boy, it is so worth to sacrifice convenience to see the show. I've had occasion to see three and that was fantastic experience. Show in Nagaoka, in Niigata prefecture was the biggest and the most colorful I've seen in my life (not that I've seen many, still) and the execution, sync with the music, was flawless. I must thank my Japanese friends who booked the trip for us all. Otherwise I would miss it for sure. The two others not worse a bit. One next to Sumida river - the biggest one in Tokyo - and the other in Tokyo too, next to Futakotamagawa station. Both spectacular.

One other aspect of any bigger events that always amazes me is how safe and organized they are. Everyone is drinking hard during many of those and still no one argues, no one is aggressive and no one steals. That's a digression, though.

> According to Brock the author, daylight fireworks originated in Japan and were not really “fireworks” as we have come to know them. Instead of pyrotechnic effects, the daylight projectile contained “a grotesque balloon in the form of an animal, human figure, or other form, which, being open and weighted at the lower end, becomes inflated as it falls and remains in the air for a considerable period.”

Sounds a bit like a lost art, but I guess parade floats are similar.

Looks like bullet hell games took some design inspiration from fireworks patterns.

Reminded me of the Takeshi Kitano movie with the same name (Hana-bi means flower of fire IIRC) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hana-bi

These are beautiful. Thank you

Does anyone have a video or photo of these 'daylight bombshells'? I can't find one and would love to see what that looks like

Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?