Yesterday was the event of the Perfect Liberty Fireworks in Osaka. This is the largest firework display in the world with over 100,000 fireworks in the course of an hour. It`s held every year on August 1st and this is my third time it`s been on since I`ve been here. And the third time I`ve missed it.

100,000 fireworks in an hour sounds like something I`d have to be crazy to miss. They are about a half hour ride from my house and so loud I can hear them from there as well as see what isn`t blocked out by the hills.

100,000 fireworks also make a lot of noise. I haven`t been these three times thanks to (a) my family in-law`s desire to eat rather than watch 100,000 fireworks in an hour, (b) pure ignorance that there would be (I`m not sure if I mentioned it) 100,000 fireworks in an hour and this year (c) the new-found responsibilities of fatherhood.

There`s lots of these once-a-year festivals and events. On August 16th there is a festival in Kyoto called the Daimonji. I haven`t been though I`ve wanted to each time. It`s described here (thanks to Kansai Time Out:

“A fire is lit on Mt. Nyoigatake to form the Chinese character dai meaning large. This spectacular sight measures 250x510x408 feet.”

The ones I have been to have proven to be highlights of my stay here in Japan. The Kishiwada Danjiri festival where the townspeople get drunk and pull ornate wooden floats around at speed with men dancing on top of them is one of them as is the Tenjin Matsuri – one of the large festivals in Osaka.

However long you stay in a foreign country, there`s a limited amount of these windows of oportunities – the chances you get to view and participate in these unique celebrations and rituals. But seeing them all would take a Herculean effort and, to an extent, if you`ve seen one haven`t you seen them all?

I side with sushicam.com`s opinion:

Something different, but just as valuable to me.

A new experience.

A little bit deeper insight into this place that I now call home. Peeling back yet another thin layer of that onion to see what lies beneath.

Let’s hope I never get to the middle of that onion…