Chichibu crowds captivated by fireworks, parade

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:56 JST, December 4, 2022

SAITAMA — Some 5,000 fireworks brightened the night sky over elaborate floats during a night festival at Chichibu Shrine in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, on Saturday. The six floats, each weighing up to nearly 20 tons, had their lanterns lit as evening approached, and were paraded to a spot about one kilometer from the shrine past hanging lanterns set up along the route. The crowd’s excitement reached its peak with the start of the fireworks.

“This is my first time coming to see the fireworks, and they are more beautiful and wonderful than I thought,” said a 75-year-old man who recently moved to the area from Tokyo.

The festival attracted about 264,000 visitors over the course of the day.