Flowers of Fire

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Japanese fireworks (hanabi) are like no experience I’ve ever had here in Canada. Literally translated as “flowers of fire”, hanabi is definitely an event worth seeing in Japan. Before I moved overseas, I couldn’t imagine that an evening of fireworks would consist of much more than a night lit up by short-lived splashes of light. I certainly wasn’t
prepared for what was waiting for me in Japan. Lighthearted images of happy faces, hearts, and Hello Kitties that burst forth amidst the beauty of the more traditional flowers of fire that blossomed across the sky.

My first summer in Japan, I didn’t know what all the fireworks fuss was about. I found it amusing that it was cool for tough guys to get just as excited as their girly girlfriends. When it came to the topic of fireworks, young and old alike would repeat the same thing over and over again. Japanese hanabi was a must-see. Never big on fireworks in my own country, I wasn’t wholly convinced.

It wasn’t until late summer that the experience would move me a-la-Japonaise. I was leaving the country and had planned a romantic farewell for myself and my (then) boyfriend. We ended up in a gorgeous suite, in one of the top floors of a fancy hotel in downtown Osaka. What a surprise when the bell boy led us to our room with a view out of Lost In Translation, and after showing us the automatic switch for opening and closing the high tech curtains, said: “Don’t forget to keep the curtains open for the 8PM fireworks show.”
“What?!?” We both exclaimed in surprise. “Fireworks? Tonight?”

Our very own fireworks show from a room with a view. This time, I let myself get caught up in the excitement. And I’m glad that I did. That was the day when I learned that fireworks in Japan are like nothing I had ever seen before in Canada. We watched in awe as the black canvass of night was painted with fireworks of all shapes, colours, and sizes. We sipped red wine and held each other as flowers of fire fell from the sky. As the show neared its end, we made our own fireworks as we shared a bittersweet kiss goodbye. We couldn’t have asked for a more magical farewell.