The True Meaning of the 'White Chrysanthemum' Blooming in the Night Sky

Due to my work, I once lived in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture.

When you think of Nagaoka, you naturally think of the 'Nagaoka Fireworks'.

Actually, when I was in my early twenties, I went to see them with a friend.

However, my memories of that time are just of the unbelievable crowds and how even going to the restroom was a struggle.

Honestly, I didn't have the luxury of enjoying the fireworks themselves.

Years later, having become a resident of Nagaoka, I naturally made my way to the fireworks festival for the first time in a long while.

I had always loved fireworks and was the type to happily travel to festivals in various places, but from that day on, I began to think that I might not need to see any other fireworks festivals ever again.

The scale of the Nagaoka fireworks was that overwhelming.

While I lived there, I went to see them every year.

Not entertainment. Prayers for 'consolation' and 'reconstruction'

The Nagaoka fireworks are not merely flashy entertainment.

At their foundation lies the spirit of 'consolation,' 'prayers for peace,' and 'reconstruction'.

The locals call this period the 'Nagaoka Festival'.

The period is from August 1st to the 3rd.

The main fireworks are on the nights of the 2nd and 3rd, but the story begins on the night of the 1st.

10:30 PM on August 1st.

Three all-white fireworks called 'White Chrysanthemums' are launched silently into the night sky.

This is the time when the Nagaoka air raid once began.

A white chrysanthemum blooming in the night sky as a memorial offering for the war dead.

Just knowing the origin of this makes my heart ache.

The breathtaking light filling the night sky and the 'Phoenix' that made me unable to stop my tears.

By the 2nd and 3rd, spectators from all over the country flock to the event.

Living near the station at the time, I headed to the venue on foot.

Unlike my memories of the massive crowds in my twenties, the current venue has been well-organized with seating, evolving to allow for comfortable viewing.

Once the fireworks began, sparks burst across my entire field of vision—right, left, and center—almost simultaneously.

They kept launching non-stop, to the point where I was panicking, wondering, 'Where on earth am I supposed to look!?'

I was also left speechless by the overwhelming presence of the Sho-sanshakudama, which couldn't even fit into my field of vision.

And then, the highlight of the program: the 'Phoenix' fireworks for reconstruction prayer.

Set to the grand melody of Ayaka Hirahara's song 'Jupiter,' they are launched continuously for about five minutes over a total length of two kilometers.

I rarely cry in front of others, but when I saw these fireworks for the first time, I found tears streaming down my cheeks before I knew it.

When I suddenly looked around, I saw many people shedding tears just like me.

The hopes of the people praying for recovery from the Chuetsu earthquake filled the night sky with light.

The sight was simply magnificent and beautiful.

My favorite city, Nagaoka.

The city of Nagaoka has such delicious food.

And above all, the residents were truly warm and kind to an 'outsider' like me.

It has been quite a long time since I left, but I still visit often.

A city that has overcome repeated sorrows, from air raids to the earthquake.

On my last day moving out of Nagaoka, I prayed from the bottom of my heart, 'May no sad events ever happen in this land again.'

That is how much I had come to love this city.

The season for the Nagaoka Festival will be here again soon.

It might be difficult to reserve a viewing seat now, but if there is anyone who loves fireworks, I would recommend these Nagaoka fireworks without hesitation.

I truly want you to experience the light of prayer spreading across the night sky with your own eyes.