Finally, Nagaoka--the main show! The one thing on the must-do list, other than visit my dad's old mission stomping grounds, was to see the famous annual fireworks show here. Our trip was structured around this event, and it did not disappoint.
This fireworks festival is an all-day event. We arrived early and staked our claim on the hillside. If I haven't said it before, I have to say it again: The Japanese are the nicest, most polite people I've ever met. We put our blanket down as well as a few belongings that we wouldn't miss too terribly should they go "missing." There was no need to worry, though. Everything stayed put all day. There is this understanding that you can put your things down in your spot and that everyone will leave it alone. While this seems like it should be a basic standard for human behavior, sadly it isn't and it stands out when people do behave this way.
After leaving our things on the hillside, we walked into town where various performances were going on as well as a lot of vendors selling a variety of trinkets, souvenirs, and food. It was, of course, very hot and humid, so my favorite thing we did while waiting for dark was sitting inside an air conditioned space and watching traditional dances. Seeing as how we arrived so early to get our spot, we had A LOT of time to kill, and I will admit it wasn't my favorite part of the day, although there was fun to be had.
Sundown did come, though, and we settled in for the show. It was a bit different than the way we do things here in the US. There would be a short display and then some narration. It was, of course, in Japanese, so I had no clue what they were saying. And the displays themselves weren't that impressive--not to justify a trip around the world, anyway. This is an award-winning show, so I was underwhelmed at first.
I should have had more faith, though, because finally Nagaoka delivered on its promise. Watch, and have your mind blown!
I didn't take many pictures on this day, but here is a small sampling of the event, other than the masterpiece above as well as a video of one of the smaller portions of the show.
