SAITAMA -- About 2,200 fireworks lit up the night during a festival at the Chichibu Jinja shrine in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, on Thursday.
The fireworks display at the annual event, Chichibu Yomatsuri (Chichibu night festival), was carried out as a bright prayer for an early end to the coronavirus crisis, among other things.
The shrine has scaled back its rituals this year due to the virus outbreak. The shrine's famous parade featuring kasaboko and yatai floats had to be canceled for the first time in 32 years, even though it is touted as one of the nation's top three float festivals, along with the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and the Takayama Matsuri in Hida, Gifu Prefecture.
Sponsors of the fireworks display, including companies in Chichibu and a local branch of the Chichibu tourism association, decided to stage the event to revitalize the local economy, as well as to give comfort and convey thanks to medical workers.
"I hope many tourists will be able to come to Chichibu next year." said Katsuzo Tashiro, 70, the head of the association.
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