Tezutsu-hanabi

Tezutsu-hanabi

Tezutsu-hanabi (手筒花火) is a type of traditional Japanese fireworks device. It was used in old times for celebrations and special events to make bright lights and loud noises. This device shows the creativity and skill of people in making exciting displays with fire and light. It is a unique part of Japanese culture.

History

The Mikawa no kuni korō den tells us that fireworks were first used in Mikawa in 1558. During the Sengoku period, bright lights and rockets were used in battles. In 1613, tezutsu-hanabi were shown to Tokugawa Ieyasu at Edo Castle before the Siege of Osaka. It is thought that soldiers from the Tokugawa clan brought back ideas about fireworks when they returned to Mikawa Province in the early 1600s.

Tezutsu-hanabi are used in many shrine festivals, like at Toyokawa’s Utari Shrine and Gifu’s Tejikarao Shrine. People have been using them there since at least the 1760s.

Characteristics of the tezutsu-hanabi projector

Tezutsu-hanabi projectors are made by local people with special permission. They are about 80 cm long and made from a type of bamboo called mōsō, tied with strong rope. Inside, they contain a mix of slow-burning gunpowder and iron powder. When the fuse is lit, it shoots out a jet of fire that can get very hot. After the show, the projector is flipped, and the bottom bursts in a small extra explosion called a hane. In some places, like Shizuoka, this burst might be smaller or not happen at all.