Unlike in England, where we have stupidly decided to have our fireworks season when it is bloody cold and miserable in November, here in Japan (and pretty much every other sensible country), summer is the season for sitting out with friends, and getting pissed under the fireworks. Yesterday was the big display along the banks of the Edo River, one of the biggest in Japan. To be honest, I was a little bit disappointed by the actual display, the firework hearts were nice, as were the Doraemon faces, but I reckon Ravenscourt Park's Guy Fawkes night display was better. The evening though was very nice. There was a really nice breeze along the river so it was nice and cool, unlike the sweaty evenings recently, and despite there being 1.3 million people there, I managed to get to the Portaloos quickly and easily, which is, afterall, the most important thing. Here are some photos from the night - all the photos I took of the fireworks were crap. Very annoyingly.
wow thats alot of people to see fireworks. Was there a reason for the fireworks?
Ok, that last photo deserves some explanation!
EDIT: I have no idea what you could be taking about...er, it's just an innocent picture of some of my friends. Nothing filthy and depraved at all. Honest.
There's no reason for the fireworks other than it is summer! But it is a lot of people - about 1% of the population of Japan!
Re. your intro. you may have forgotten in your long sojourn in foreign parts that the reason the poor Brits have their fireworks in November is because they commemmorate Guy Fawkes's attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament - he was discovered on November 5th 1605 just about to set the explosives alight. Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason and plot!I disagree that it's a bad time to have fireworks - it livens things up just when everyone is really fed up with the dark winter nights.Just a shame GF did not succeed! xx
I know that...just not much fun sitting out in bollock shrivelling cold is all