“Bonfires” are now rarely seen from the perspective of disaster prevention,
In the 1940s, it was sometimes held in the streets of Tokyo and in general parks.

The place where TATSUMI Seika, the lyricist, lived and wrote the lyrics,
It is a residential area about 5 minutes from “Arai Yakushi” station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line.

This song, contrary to its cheerful melody, walks through a history of adversity. It first appeared in 1941, scheduled for a three-day consecutive radio broadcast, but at the same time, Japan entered the Pacific War. The broadcast was forced to stop on the second day. There seemed to be a directive from military sources stating, “Even fallen leaves are valuable fuel sources. Burning anything that can be used to heat baths or cook in a bonfire is unacceptable.” As the war intensified, bonfires were said to become targets, leading to their complete suppression.

Even after the war, the broadcasting permission was withheld due to concerns about provoking riots from the perspective of maintaining public order, but it is said that by gradually accumulating small established facts, approval was finally granted retroactively.

Bonfires gather people in the cold season. Conversations are born when people gather.

If this kind of scenery is born again, I think that the enjoyment of the area will increase.

Interestingly, while older generations tend to associate campfires with roasting sweet potatoes, younger people nowadays are more likely to think of toasting marshmallows.

100 Best Japanese Songs

Hana: The Melody of Japanese Spring

Many people may remember this song when they think of spring scenery in Japan.

The melody, filled with the joy of the arrival of spring after winter, shines like the surface of the river in the sunlight, and the lyrics, which describe the unique beauty of the cherry blossom scenery, match perfectly, making this song the standard for spring in Japan.

The Historic Sumida River and Its Cherry Blossoms

The Sumida River flows through the east of Tokyo, passing the Tokyo Sky Tree and Asakusa before emptying into Tokyo Bay.
The cherry trees sung as flowers in this song are planted mainly along the riverbanks (botei) of the Sumida River from Azuma Bridge to Sakura Bridge, and are called “Senbonzakura (a thousand cherry trees) on the Sumida River.

sumidatei no hanami / KOBAYASHI,Kiyochika

From Edo-Period Flood Control to Modern Hanami Celebrations

It is said that the cherry trees were originally planted by the 8th Tokugawa shogun, Yoshimune, for flood control, and the purpose was for people to gather and trample on the embankment.

Even today, the area is crowded with people during the cherry blossom season, and instead of boats sung with “oar drops,” pleasure boats designed by Matsumoto Leiji, a manga artist known for “Galaxy Express 999” and “Space Pirate Captain Harlock,” come and go, and people enjoy cherry blossom viewing drinks from morning until late at night.

ヒミコ | 【公式】東京都観光汽船（TOKYO CRUISE）

漫画・アニメ界の巨匠・松本零士氏がデザイン。宇宙船のような「ヒミコ」は、「ティアドロップ（涙滴）」をイメージ・コンセプトに、「子供たちが乗ってみたいと思ってくれる船」として、デザインを手がけられました。船内では「銀河鉄道999」のキャラクタ...

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Cultural Legacy: From Edo to Present Day

It is a spring event that brings the atmosphere of the Edo period to life.

In summer, the Sumida River Fireworks Festival attracts many people. The “Tamaya” and “Kagiya” are the trade name of a popular fireworks masters in Edo (present-day Tokyo). Kagiya still exists today.

Sumida River Fireworks Festival

The composer of this piece, TAKI Rentarou, went to Germany to study as a music student, but returned to Japan with tuberculosis and died at the young age of 25. His aspiration “for the development of high quality Japanese songs” continues to shine through the ages.

“Hanabi” The joy of fireworks sung in nursery rhymes

The children’s song “Hanabi” (Fireworks) expresses children’s longing and joy for fireworks festivals, which are a hallmark of Japanese summer. From the era when this song was created to the present day, fireworks have continued to be beloved as a special presence that colors Japanese summers.

This nursery rhyme, beginning with the lyrics “Don to natta, Hanabi da kirei dana” ( A booming sound, it’s a fireworks display, how beautiful ), expresses children’s honest surprise and emotion toward the sound and light of fireworks. The beauty of fireworks launched into the night sky has fascinated people across generations, and fireworks festivals held almost every weekend throughout summer across Japan continue to attract many people.

Shidare yanagi

Japanese summer scenes in the lyrics

The lyrics of the children’s song “Hanabi” vividly depict scenes of Japanese summer festivals. The onomatopoeia “Don Don” representing the sound of fireworks expresses the realistic atmosphere of fireworks festivals that children actually experience, inviting listeners to the festival grounds.

Utagawa_Hiroshige Meisho edo 100 kei, Ryougoku hanabi

One reason this song continues to be beloved is that fireworks festivals go beyond mere entertainment to serve as important events that deepen bonds between families and local communities. The experience of wearing yukata, visiting night stalls, and looking up at the night sky to enjoy fireworks continues to be passed down as a traditional way of spending summer in Japan.
“Sumida River Fireworks Festival.

The origin of this event is said to be the “Ryougoku no Kawabiraki” (opening of the river at Ryougoku), which was held in 1733 by TOKUGAWA Yoshimune, the 8th shogun of the Edo shogunate, to pray for the end of the plague.

Diversity of Fireworks Culture Spreading Across the Nation

Japan’s fireworks culture has various characteristics depending on the region. From large-scale competitions including the famous “Japan’s Three Great Fireworks Festivals” to small community-based local festivals, their scale and format vary widely.

Whether it’s the fireworks sung about in the children’s song “Hanabi” or modern fireworks, the underlying desire to “move and delight people” remains unchanged. While technological advances have dramatically improved the scale and beauty of fireworks, the expressions of people looking up at the large flowers blooming in the night sky are always filled with the same timeless emotion.

Inheriting Japanese Culture through Children’s Songs

The children’s song “Hanabi” plays an important cultural role in passing down Japan’s summer seasonal traditions to the next generation. Through this song, children learn about the joy of fireworks festivals and the beauty of Japanese summer.

The traditional fireworks calls “Tamaya~” and “Kagiya~” that have continued since the Edo period originated from the shop names of two major fireworks masters who competed at the Ryougoku River Opening, where spectators cheered by calling out the names of their preferred fireworks masters.Is it a characteristic of the Edo people that these calls are somewhat similar to those of Kabuki performances?

Even today, the name of Kagiya continues to be used as the name of a Tokyo pyrotechnician.

Additionally, the haiku “Omoshiroute yagate sabishiki hanabi kana” (How amusing, yet soon melancholy, these fireworks), said to be an adaptation of MATSUO Basho‘s verse, beautifully expresses the Edo summer at its peak with hints of approaching autumn, and continues to be beloved today.

Now, where will this year’s fireworks display be the most exciting?

In recent years, however, this song may be the most popular among the younger generation as it conveys well the atmosphere of fireworks and summer festivals.