Ryōgoku hanabi

Overview

Ryogoku Hanabi refers to the fireworks display held in the Edo period on the Sumida River (Okawa) at Ryogoku in Tokyo, on the occasion of the Ryogoku Kawabiraki (river opening). It is the predecessor of the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, known today as a seasonal feature of summer in Tokyo. The Ryogoku fireworks that colored the night sky of Edo are also known for the calls Kagiya and Tamaya, derived from the trade names of the fireworks artisans, and were one of the greatest entertainments of summer for the common people of Edo. With the area around Ryogoku Bridge over the Sumida River as the stage, the sight in which the fireworks reflected on the river surface and the heat of spectators crowding the bridge and pleasure boats became one was depicted in many ukiyo-e, conveying to this day the splendor of summer in Edo.

History and Origins

Regarding the origin of Ryogoku Hanabi, the theory that it began in 1733 (Kyoho 18) is widely known. According to this theory, at the time famine and epidemic (said also to be cholera) raged in Edo, producing many deaths. The eighth shogun of the time, Tokugawa Yoshimune, is said to have held a Suijin festival (water-deity festival) on the Sumida River, praying for the repose of the dead and the dispelling of the plague. At this time, restaurants and the like around Ryogoku launched fireworks, and this is said to be the beginning of the Ryogoku Kawabiraki and the origin of Ryogoku Hanabi. However, regarding this 1733 origin theory, it has been pointed out that it may be a lineage arranged in later ages, and there is debate over interpretation of historical sources regarding the exact starting year of the fireworks display. Therefore, here it is introduced only as a widely told common account, and assertion is avoided.

Kawabiraki is an event marking the start of the cool-of-evening boat business during summer, and fireworks were launched to celebrate its first day. The Sumida River kawabiraki was held on the 28th day of the fifth month of the old calendar, and from this point the season of summer evening cool began. At the foot of Ryogoku Bridge, teahouses and show booths lined up, and on the river pleasure boats and cool-of-evening boats floated, greatly bustling with people viewing fireworks.

Famed as the fireworks artisans who handled the fireworks are Kagiya and Tamaya. Kagiya is said to be a fireworks shop founded by Yahei, who came to Edo from Shinohara village in Yamato Province (present-day Nara Prefecture) around 1659, and it became a presence representative of Edo fireworks. Later, Tamaya was born by branching off from Kagiya, and the two competed in fireworks skill across the Sumida River. The sight of spectators calling out the trade names of their favorite fireworks artisans, Kagiya and Tamaya, in cheer became a feature of Ryogoku Hanabi, and even today the words Tamaya and Kagiya remain as fireworks calls.

Highlights

Ryogoku Hanabi now has its tradition carried on as the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, but the appeal that Edo-period Ryogoku Hanabi held does not stop at the mere beauty of the fireworks. The greatest highlight is the unity of fireworks and waterside scenery, with the great river flowing through the city, the Sumida River, as the stage. The launched fireworks not only color the night sky, but their light is reflected on the river surface, producing a double splendor. Viewing fireworks from atop Ryogoku Bridge or from pleasure boats and cool-of-evening boats floating on the river was the finest summer entertainment for the people of Edo.

Another highlight is the competition of skill by the two great fireworks artisans Kagiya and Tamaya. Divided upstream and downstream across the Sumida River, the two each launched ingeniously devised fireworks and competed over their quality. Spectators called out the trade names of their favorite artisans in cheer, and the riverside was wrapped in heat. This competition is said to have greatly developed the technology of Edo fireworks.

And the scenes of Ryogoku Hanabi were depicted in many ukiyo-e by artists including Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige. Scenes such as the great blooms of fireworks opening in the night sky, the bustling Ryogoku Bridge, and the boats filling the river surface were beloved as subjects symbolizing summer in Edo, and have also become precious records conveying the bustle of the festivals of that time. Through these ukiyo-e, we today can also picture the splendor of Edo fireworks.

Event Information and Access

Ryogoku Hanabi was a historic fireworks display of the Edo period, and its tradition is now carried on as the Sumida River Fireworks Festival. The Sumida River Fireworks Festival is held, usually on the last Saturday of July, at two venues—downstream of Sakurabashi to upstream of Kototoibashi, and downstream of Komagatabashi to upstream of Umayabashi—and has become a major event representative of summer in Tokyo. As a festival continuing the tradition of the Edo Ryogoku Kawabiraki, it bustles each year with many spectators.

For access to the Ryogoku area, the historic stage, Ryogoku Station on the JR Sobu Line and Toei Oedo Line is convenient. The area around Ryogoku Bridge is a fitting place to stroll while seeking traces of the bustle of fireworks past. When viewing the present Sumida River Fireworks Festival, the area around the venue becomes very crowded and traffic restrictions are imposed over a wide area, so use of public transportation is essential. As there is a turnout of around one million people each year, viewing requires securing a spot early and devising ways to avoid the crowds. As the exact holding date, venue, and launch time change from year to year, it is important to confirm in advance through the organizer's official information.

Around the Area

The Ryogoku area connected to Ryogoku Hanabi is a region where the culture and history of Edo strongly remain. When it comes to Ryogoku, above all there is the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the sacred ground of grand sumo. During the period when the main grand sumo tournaments are held, one can see wrestlers in mawashi walking the town, savoring the atmosphere unique to a sumo town. Adjacent to the Kokugikan is the Edo-Tokyo Museum (which may have closure periods for renovation, etc.), where one can learn the history and culture of Tokyo from the Edo period to modern times.

Also, along the Sumida River, noted places where one can feel the atmosphere of Edo are scattered. Walking the riverside while touring the many bridges spanning the Sumida River, one can feel the traces of Edo, the city of water. A little farther afield, the Oshiage area where Tokyo Skytree towers, and Asakusa, full of old downtown atmosphere, are also near. Sensoji Temple and Nakamise-dori are popular spots visited by many tourists from Japan and abroad. The Sumida River that the fireworks of Edo colored, and the downtown atmosphere spreading around it, let one feel the depth of Tokyo's history. A stroll touring this area full of Edo atmosphere while reflecting on the history of Ryogoku Hanabi will be a deeply rewarding one.

Related Information

Details on Ryogoku Hanabi can be found in the official information of the Sumida River Fireworks Festival and in the history and tourism information of the Ryogoku area of Tokyo. This fireworks display was held in the Edo period on the occasion of the Ryogoku Kawabiraki of the Sumida River (Okawa) and is the predecessor of the present Sumida River Fireworks Festival. The theory that it began with the Suijin festival held by the eighth shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune in 1733, praying for the repose of the dead and the dispelling of the plague, is widely known, but regarding this origin year there is debate over interpretation of historical sources, and it has been pointed out that it may be a lineage arranged in later ages, so assertion is avoided and it is introduced as a common account. The competition of the two great fireworks artisans Kagiya and Tamaya, and the splendid scenes depicted in many ukiyo-e—Ryogoku Hanabi retains its traces even today as a culture symbolizing summer in Edo. This tradition, carried on as the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, is a precious presence conveying to the present the richness of Japan's fireworks culture.

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