On Saturday, November 26, the firework show “Making Banpaku Night Sky Art” was held for the first time in Expo ‘70 Commemorative Park. Anyone who has seen fireworks can tell you, but when I saw the gorgeous streams of light in the end-of-fall night sky, I was in utter and speechless awe.

To organize this hour-long show, pyrotechnicians from various Kansai companies, though normally competitors, came together with JTB, Yomiuri Shimbun, and Yomiuri Television, amongst others. In total, 40,000 fireworks were fired, with an attendance rate of 25,000 people (all seats were reserved). The most special element, however, was the upbeat music, ranging from funk to Christmas music to J-pop, synchronized with the fireworks using a launching technique that can be monitored to 1/100th of a second.

The largest firework was 130m in diameter, larger than the Expo City “OSAKA WHEEL” (115m in diameter), the largest Ferris wheel in Japan.

The show aimed to encourage "people who have tended to be blocked due to self-restraint due to the long-term corona wreck … to look up at the sky and open their hearts, leading to vitality for tomorrow.” At the beginning and end of the show, blue fireworks were launched to show gratitude to Covid medical workers.

Covid has now become a regular part of our lives yet large events like these are becoming increasingly more common—a good sign of things to come. For me, watching fireworks is truly an inspiring experience that helps me unwind and appreciate the moment. Japan is world-renowned for its firework technology, and if you have always wanted to see these beautiful lights in the sky up close, trust me and put this on your list for next year.

Sources:

1. https://www.banpakuhanabi.jp/

2. https://osaka1shop2channel.jp/blog-entry-2139.html