Comments on: Spam From Japan: Sumida River Fireworks Festival sucks!

By: spamfromjapan

spamfromjapan — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:26:21 +0000

Back when I used to work for a certain eikaiwa which had a special conversation room, I would ask the people attending whether they had done things like go to Sumidagawa fireworks display. Invariably, they would reply that they hadn’t and I always wondered why. I mean, how bad could the crowds be?

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:57:16 +0000

You know what, I was going to write exactly the same thing: though I’ve never been to this display, the amount of people that have told me about the fact that only half the show is worth seeing has put me off time and time again. I am most certainly not going to bother!

By: Japan Blog Matsuri:June 2010: Hot fun in the Summer Time! | Loco in Yokohama

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:05:53 +0000

[...] up next, a warning of a big FAIL on the Hanabi in Sumida from our good friends at Spam From Japan.He’s also generous enough to recommend some Hanabi [...]

By: spamfromjapan

spamfromjapan — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 02:14:59 +0000

I’ve seen some great individual fireworks at shows. I believe it was Itabashi where I saw fireworks in the shape of dragonflies, apples and Pikachu… I don’t want to see another shade of green.

It’s ironic that all the buzz about Sumida being the top fireworks show in Japan stops it from being so.

By: Carolingus

Carolingus — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 10:13:06 +0000

The actual display at Sumida is also usually inferior to others too (if you even find a place to watch it from). Most displays are very well planned and organised overall in the artistic sense; Sumida isn’t.

Because it’s the “top” event, it’s where all the firework companies debut their new creations. Net result: half the display is an incredibly dull series of individual launches of “new shade of green” “makes a slightly different pattern” fireworks. Sure, the new fireworks may be great, but only when they’re being launched as part of a co-ordinated show which, frankly, Sumida isn’t.

By: spamfromjapan

spamfromjapan — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:03:20 +0000

That sounds similar to Itabashi Hanabi Taikai, although that takes place along the Arakawa. I think that giant fields are definitely the way to go. It’s better to watch in comfort than have a bigger ‘boom factor’.

By: spamfromjapan

spamfromjapan — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:56:18 +0000

If you had a place you could stand, access to food and trash bins, and your apartment is free of drunk salarymen, it’s already better than Sumida River!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:40:21 +0000

My favourite fireworks display is the Edogawa fireworks, which is the first weekend of August (the 7th this year). There’s one firing location, and there are giant fields along the whole river so pretty much everyone gets a spot. There’s also two different train lines you could take, three different statons, if you’re willing to walk a little longer for quieter stations.

By: Ginko

Ginko — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:14:02 +0000

Ho, that reminds me of last Saturday when I could enjoy a surprise firework display from my balcony. No waiting, no crowd…
Had the fireworks not been so pathetic, it would have been great. I’m sure it was far worse than the Sumida River Fireworks Festival!