#Matsuri Fireworks

[megumiluvv]

Yuji absolutely loves fireworks and Choso invites you to go with him and Yuji to celebrate the Fourth of July in the park.

Yuji holds both your and Choso’s hands as you walk through the crowded park, the scent of hot dogs and other grilled foods in the air, little kids running around and parents trying to get their attention.

Yuji is decked out in all the celebratory colors and accessories he could get at the festival. He runs excitedly when he finds Megumi and Gojo and drags you and Choso along with him.

“Mr. Gojo! Are you going to watch the fireworks?”

“Yup, me and Megumi are going to watch ‘em, Yuji.”

“So are we!” Yuji smiles and Choso doesn’t miss the way Gojo eyes you up and down in your cute little outfit you picked out.

“Yuji, let’s go find a spot,” Choso calls and Yuji follows you and him to a nice spot in the grass to sit and watch the fireworks.

Yuji sits on your lap and Choso takes a chance at pulling you into his, which you accept with a blush, and Gojo chuckles and sits beside his friend and his twin girls. The fireworks start after it’s dark enough outside, and your body jolts with each loud sound.

Choso notices and covers your ears without a word, letting you enjoy the pretty colors without flinching at the loud pops. Yuji gasps and giggles out “wow”’s as he points at the fireworks, completely astonished by the colors and shapes the fireworks make.

After the firework show, you carry the sleeping Yuji back to Choso’s apartment and lay him in bed. Choso smiles at you and gently rubs your back.

“Sensitive to sound?” He mumbles softly to you.

“Have a bad history with them, yeah. Wanted to see if I could handle them for once since you and Yuji invited me.”

“You didn’t have to, but I’m glad you decided to come with us.”

“I’m glad I did too. Thank you for covering my ears, that made it better to handle.”

“Of course, I’d do that for you any time. Maybe you can come with us for New Year’s too.”

You smile softly and lean into him.

“I’d love that.”

He feels his heart flutter and seems a little hesitant to let you leave.

“Um, do you want to stay here tonight? Some people are going to set off fireworks through the whole night.”

“Where would I sleep?”

“I can take the couch.”

“No, it’s your apartment, I don’t want to disturb your comfort,” you start, but he rebuts.

“I’m not letting you sleep on my couch and be uncomfortable either. If we can’t agree, we have to share a bed,” he says decidedly.

You feel a bit of blush and almost choose to go back to your own apartment when you hear a muffled pop of a firework outside and jump a little.

“…Fine, we’ll share your bed…”

Choso blushes a little himself but ensures your comfort, letting you lay down first, and holding you close when more fireworks go off nearby. You both silently wish this moment would last forever.

Masterlist

[tanuki-kimono]

Best summer matsuri (festival) spirit for this modern shibori yukata depicting hanabi (fireworks) crakling in the night sky

[kyotodreamtrips]

Yodogawa Fireworks Festival 2023 on Steroids, Osaka-Japan.

A small time-lapse clip of the “Yodogawa Fireworks Festival “.

#はなび #花火大会 #花火 #fireworks #fireworkshow #fireworks💥 #なにわ淀川花火大会 #なにわ淀川花火大会2023 #osaka #osakajapan #なにわ #nightphotography #japan #summer #なにわ淀川花火大会

[maah-long]

Yoimiya 🎆🎇🎆

10/11/21 - Genshin challenge 06/44 YOIII 💜💜 My favorite genshin girl!! I love every event and quest she’s on 🥰🥰 She’s just so happy and positive about everything, it’s a delight to see 🫶🫶. I’m 100% redrawing her sometime this year as I don’t think this art made her justice (anatomy and perspective 💀💀💀 they keep me awake at night I swear), but I like the fireworks and colors 🎇🎇 Her character design is one of my favorites in the game no doubt. There are a just a lot of cool things about her!! She speaks in Osaka/Kansai dialect (I think the easiest part to notice is the way she says “n’ya” and “yaa”!), it’s so pretty and upbeat! I could hear her talk all day. Plus everything about her screams Summer Festival (Natsu Matsuri)! The sarashi (wrapped white cloth), commonly used with festival Happi, geta (wood sandals), the goldfish (there’s a game where you scoop them!), fireworks (some people go to the festivals mainly to see them! There were even annual battles between 2 famous fireworks crafters, Tamaya clan and Kagiya, very very long ago), the Temari on her hair may reference YoYo Tsuri (a bouncing water ball, another common game/toy) or wind chimes, and her bag resembles a goldfish bag too! Those are the references I remember rn🎐🎐. One day I’ll make a tumblr post dissecting her entire design, and me writing this here is to make me remember that 😌😌 (probably?)

[eiko82]

The gang is enjoying a summer festival.

[heartshinebeauty]

Tenjin Matsuri 天神祭

Today we are celebrating Tenjin Matsuri 天神祭 which literally means "The Festival of the Heavenly Gods".

The festival honors the deity of scholarship Sugawara Michizane 菅原 道真. 

He was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian period.

He is regarded as an excellent poet, particularly in Kanshi poetry 漢詩 and is today revered in Shinto as the kami 神 of learning.

Many Shinto shrines in Japan are dedicated to him. 

Michizane had an exceptional talent in both Kanshi, poetry in Chinese, and Waka, poetry in Japanese.

His primary interest was Kanshi because in those days the immersion in Chinese culture was regarded as a proof of refinement and scholarship.

Since his excellence in Kanshi was well known throughout the Court, Emperor Daigo suggested him to compile his Chinese poetry. And therefore he published Kanke Bunso 菅家文草 and dedicated it to the Emperor in 900.

 After his exile he continued to work on Kanshi and compiled them into the Kanke Koshu 菅家後集 it contains 46 Kanshi and was completed sometime before his death in 903.

Tenjin Matsuri is a spectaculair festival celebrated on the 24th and 25th of July in many places around Japan. 

One of the places is at Tenmangu Shrine 天満宮 at Kitaku, Osaka.

Tenmangu Shrine was built in 949 by the order of Emperor Murakami. And it's one of the many many shrines dedicated to Sugawara Michizane. 

The origin of this festival dates back to 951, two years after the foundation of the shrine. When kamihoko, a portable shrine with a halberd on its top, was released into the river near the shrine and a temporary funeral hall was built at the place where the kamihoko washed ashore.

 Local people who worshiped at the shrine rode on boats and welcomed the arrival of the kamihoko, which was said to mark the beginning of the festival.

The first day of the festival begins with the Yoimiya festival to pray for the success of the Hokonagashi ceremony. 

It is followed by the actual ceremony in which the sacred halberd is released from the Hokonagashi bridge at the sound of a ryuteki 龍笛 flute. 

On the following day the spirit of the Tenjin deity is transferred to a portable shrine called mikoshi 神輿 and paraded around for about 4km from the Tenmangu Shrine to the point of embarkation attended by as many as 3,000 festival participants. Mikoshi is then transferred onto a boat and accompanied by a 100 more river boats. While it moves towards the Naka river to the Okawa river with amazing fireworks overhead.

[geimaikospottingsl]

Maiko Toshimomo by Mari Lenoirre Via Flickr: Toshimomo became a senior maiko back in May but I did not get a chance to take a photo of her back then. Doesn't she look great? It feels like yesterday we met in Hamamura in a Nanohana field in 2021. Pictured: Maiko Toshimomo of Komayaka Okiya

[hamamuraislandssl]

Kitsuke of the Day: Shrine Visit in Hamamura by Mari Lenoirre Via Flickr: Toshimomo and I visited Hamamura's main Shrine this morning after we went shopping for Obi. Pictured: Toshimomo and Toshinami

[unlimitedvisit]

Best Places To Visit In Japan In July

Japan in July offers a plethora of captivating destinations. Explore the vibrant cityscape of Tokyo, visit the historic temples of Kyoto, or immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Hokkaido's lavender fields. Experience the excitement of the Gion Matsuri festival in Kyoto or witness the breathtaking fireworks displays across the country. Japan in July is a feast for the senses.

Keep Reading

[aishiteru-kenshin]

Chichibu Night Festival | Chichibu Yomatsuri | 秩父夜祭

December 2nd — December 3rd

One of Japan’s greatest hikiyama (float) festivals, the Chichibu Yomatsuri is held every year and attracts about 400,000 visitors over two days. Indeed, the festival, which has over 300 years of history, is famous throughout Japan and was even registered as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” by UNESCO in 2016.

While there are also events on the eve of the 2nd (including fireworks in Hitsujiyama Park), it is the festival on the 3rd for which the people come. Four large floats the size of small houses, as well as two kasaboko (smaller decorated floats), are pulled through the streets of Chichibu, and, in the afternoon, stages are pulled out from the main floats and kabuki performances are given in front of the public. Then, at night, with drum music coming from the moveable yatai-bayashi, the floats — beautifully decorated with lanterns — are pulled up the slope of Dango Hill before a fireworks display lights the winter sky.

[brynnewithane]

[Dating Hoshina Headcanons]

Absolutely no one asked but this is how I imagine dating Hoshina would look like:

This post is based on my personal research and officially published information about Hoshina up to Chapter 110. Please read this with a giant grain of salt.

If he has a half day off:

Casual coffee dates, talk about anything and everything.

Walk in the park while he’s still wearing his tracksuit so he can respond quickly to Kaiju’s attacks.

Takes you to all the bookstores or libraries, buy books for each other then go home and read each other’s book.

Late night Izakaya date when his shift is finished. Both grab a beer and you’ll listen to him telling you about how his day went, including all the drama at work of course lol.

Spend a lot of quality time together reading, discussing a book he has recommended (probably non-fiction or classics).

I also love the idea that he likes to take you to every Japanese Festival like the Kyoto Gion Matsuri (Kyoto is in the Kansai region; he’s from a traditional old-money clan in the Kansai region, so this festival is a must), but he’d probably be on duty those days for extra vigilance in case there’s an attack. Despite so, he’s gonna make it up to you later on bc this man does have a sense of loyalty and he cares a whole lot once you make it to his heart and earn his trust.

Another headcanon of mine is that he‘s lowkey romantic. Like c’mon, he reads poetry lmao. I’ve never seen someone who reads poetry that doesn’t have a romantic side. If he’s off duty, he’d plan a proper date, such as:

Watches the Blossom Forecast to plan for a Hanami picnic (花見, hanami, "flower viewing") when Spring comes. He’ll bring sweets like Dango, Daifuku, and his favorite Mont Blanc.

Takes you to those kimono retailers, makes you try on different types of kimono, and buy the one you like most.

He’d take you to the beach, or onsen on some mountains. He’d ask you to go on a hike with him in the early morning bc that’s his routine and he wants you to join him as well.

He’ll prepare a yukata for both to attend summer festivals, buy sparklers (線香花火, senkou hanabi), play goldfish scooping (金魚すくい, kingyo sukui), eat candied apples and watch fireworks together.

Chilling in his house, drinking ramune and eating watermelon. You watch your favorite show, he reads his newly bought novel. Either you both cook and prepare dinner, or head out to a rather fancy traditional restaurant.

English is not my first language so my grammar isn’t grammaring sometimes. If there are any parts that feel weird or unnatural, please let me know🤧

[tanuki-kimono]

From our recent event of the fourth of July in the USA, I was also thinking of Japan's summer festivals. Besides yukata, are there kimonos that have festival themes like fireworks, festival decorations/sceneries, specific patterns, specific colors, etc.?

Japanese traditional culture is all about celebrating seasonality so indeed summer matsuri themed patterns are pretty common on summery items :)

(note that I used summer here in the Western sense of July/August. Traditional Japanese summer goes from something like May to July)

Yukata+kimono+obi+uchiwa are a staple, you can also find happi (tube sleeves coats) but those tend to bear mon (crests) and auspicious kanji.

Other festival garments count for example yosakoi (type of dance groups) uniforms, but those are more performance oriented. Otherwise, what would be a matsuri without fundoshi loincloth ;) (see how to tie one here)

On the top of my head, summer festival patterns can include (please note some are not summer only):

hanabi (fireworks)

dashi/yatai (parade float), used during processions. Mikoshi (portable shrine) is theorically possible but I don't remember seeing such a pattern

kingyo (goldfishes), kingyosukui is a popular summer game

fuurin (windchimes), often sold at matsuri

men (masks), most often kitsune or tengu but many more exist

toys, like dendendaiko (rattle drum) for ex.

matoi (firemen poles), brigades often present acrobatic shows in summer

chouchin (paper lantern), also see Obon below

etc.

Japan holds a myriad matsuri all across the country, each with their own traditions. But big celebrations often have related patterns:

Tanabata has stars, bamboo, tanzaku, magpies, ox, etc.

Obon has lanterns, cucumber, eggplant, death themed motifs (like nozarashi or graveplates), nod to Kyoto's Daimonji kanji, etc.

Famous festivals also have their own imagery (yamaboko float for Gion matsuri ex.).

As for colors, scarlet red is often found on matsuri decors, and indigo blue is a classical summer color (yukata were once dyed with it), but tbh any can be used nowadays :)

[matchadobo]

KIDD; festival confession

wc: 1639 summary: kidd and name spend the summer matsuri together and confessions were made. warning/s: fem reader, nooooneee very fluff

"if you take that goddamn long we'll leave you." kidd grumbled by the wooden seat that was too small for him. he was munching on some candy apples killer gave him while waiting for you to get ready. but you know he didn't mean that, like hell he'd leave you when he couldn't keep his hands off you at random parts of the day.

"go ahead, you'll miss me." you replied, trying to figure out where to snag the ornamental hairpin that somehow got tangled with your locks. "one more second, okay? this stupid fucking thing got my hair in a bust!" you tried prying it off your head. it was the last thing you needed to fix before you finally get ready for the festival.

"i'm comin' in." kidd was, of course, too impatient to wait for you. so when he swept the curtains open and ducked down to get in the narrow compartment of a room, his world had fucking stopped for you again.

when he saw you in that bright red yukata adorned with white flowers. he knew you picked the red one because you knew he'd like it. a smile slowly made its way to his lips, you look the same kind of beautiful just as the day he met you.

you look a little silly with the tangled ornament, he snorted and sighed, giving your cheek a little pinch before taking the ornament by his hands. "you shouldn't have tried-"

"shut it." you cut him off, cheeks heating up in embarrassment. kidd was impatient, and eager, and always annoyed. but never with you, he was surprisingly patient and earnest. he even goes an extra mile to craft pretty little trinkets for you. so despite the maddening task that is your hair, he managed to get the knot out of your locks. he was quite literally towering over you so he can clearly see what's going on. you two spend quite a bit of time in there annoyed at that thing.

once it was all gone, you almost discarded the ornament away when kidd yanked it out your hand. "turn around. i'll do it." you took a couple of seconds to look at him, how uncharacteristic of him. "come on," he turned you around himself because his ears were turning red at your gaze.

his fingers combed through your locks, lightly brushing the strands of your hair as he gathered them all in a bun. you shivered lightly each time his knuckles or the tip of his fingers touches the back of your neck. but he wasn't innocent either, the sight of your bare neck and shoulders had him in a chokehold. the honest and strong urge to just grab you by the neck and kiss the spaces that lacked his lip marks. this was a different kind of intimate that you two were too scared of breaking the tension on.

"there." he gave his craft one last look. his human arm reached over from behind and raised your chin so you can look at yourself at the mirror inside the fitting room. "that's how you do it."

you two took your time memorizing and engraving the sight of the both of you in the mirror. kidd and you in a yukata in the absence of bloodshed that is your everyday, devoid of the peril that awaits your lives.

"kidd! name! the fireworks are gonna start soon!" the others called out, both of you snapping back to reality. a bit sad that the moment was cut off short. but this was the reason why you insisted on visiting a festival, you wanted to watch the fireworks with the crew.

"sorry you didn't get to experience the other stuff in the festival before the fireworks started." you nudged him a little, hands behind your back as you two strolled by the cobbled stairs.

"i got to experience something waaay better, don't worry." he replied, catching your eye as you looked back and saw the light tint on his cheeks. he avoided your gaze, pretending he wasn't looking at you.

"kidd i," just before you could finish, the fireworks started and surprised you. as you both descended the stairs, you two stayed at the bottom and admired the dancing lights by the sky. you gazed above as the colors captivated your full attention while you captivated his.

"hm?" he replied, silently observing and committing to memory how you look like tonight. how your eyes glisten with the pirouetting hues of the evening sky, how you perk up and point at the animals and figures the fireworks made, how your cheeks puff up each time you smile at every light that grazed the sky.

"a-ah nothing," you suddenly grew shy, locking glances with him. now dawning at you that he was looking at you the whole time. "just wanted to say thank you, for letting me have this night." you smiled at him, pressing your lips afterward and fiddling with your fingers.

he suddenly took a long, deep breath, avoiding your gaze as you catch his ears reddening. he wanted to say something; something he had been keeping for a long time. but as eustass kidd himself, pride is a much bigger hurdle to overcome. but he might be willing to do it just for you. he said he wouldn't fold first, he said it's you who'll be chasing because apparently 'you're crazy about him', it's you who'll keep dreaming about what life would be like if you two'd tie the knot, and it's you who'd be confessing.

so he himself doesn't know why he reached over for your hand as he pulled you closer. and once he had you in his grasp, his hand ghosted the skin of your neck and held onto your cheek. his fingers spanning the lower side of your neck while his thumb rubbed by your cheek and his palm held your jaw. this was one of the rare moments where he wasn't scowling and he held all the love for you in his eyes.

"then i'd like to say thank you for making the last five years of my life tolerable. i had someone to look forward to everyday. i learned to love and what it feels to be loved. i have my tireless cheerleader by my side at all times, bugging the shit out of me. i have someone to hold close to each sleepless night. i have one delicate treasure in my life i pledge to protect, your smile; i have to keep ya smilin', aye? if the day ever comes where i do the opposite, please fuckin' kill the living shit out of me. 'cuz goddamnit, i finally had one fuckin' weakness. i finally found someone to spend my life with." he couldn't stop the tears streaming down his face. you could tell that he was holding this back a lot for a long, long time. you stayed quiet because it all felt like a dream.

kidd wasn't a very vocal nor a person of words, he always expressed everything through actions or not even at all. but the way you look tonight, he doesn't want to lose that sight of you nor forget the words he wanted to say. eustass kidd was no coward, but when it comes to love and you, he suddenly is nothing but a shell. but he doesn't plan on living like that, nor does he plan to continue to lie to you.

"you broke my goddamn walls, name. from the day you first butted heads with me, from every insult you returned each time i push you away, from each ounce of patience you gave me and hoped for the best in me, from the way you look at me differently, from the times we fought side by side; those always did a number on me, from the warmth you engulf me each cold night the phantom pain haunts me, to the way you smile at me and cheered me on to my dream, our dream. i fucking love you." he choked out a sob, laughing stupidly at himself as if a montage of you appeared on his head.

at his last sentence, the grand finale of the fireworks concluded. your heart will absolutely implode out of your chest. you reached over to hold his hand, removing it from your cheeks and cupping his big fist with both of your hands. "i tamed the beast, huh?" you reached over to wipe the tears on the corner of his eyes, pulling him down by the neck gently. "i always knew you're a little sweetheart inside."

"pft. the pirate king shouldn't be so warm and fuzzy." he pressed foreheads with you, later pressing a kiss on your forehead.

"i do that to you, huh, captain?" you teased him, hug becoming tighter. "say, if you love me that much, why don't you take me out on a date? it's a festival after all." you tilted your head in amusement, poking at his nose. he blinked at you twice, pale at your words. he legit wasn't ready for this.

receiving no response, you leaned in to his ear and whispered. "i'll give you a kiss after."

"why not do it now?" he fixed you in place with a firm grasp on your lower back. "don't make your captain wait." he said in a low tone, leaning back a little so he could raise your chin. he got a good look at how all the blood in your face rose. so he took matters in his own hands and planted a kiss on your lips, under the bright moonlight and the surrounding festival music across town. killer and the others figured kidd finally confessed from the evident red in his ears and cheeks when you two got back.

[missmyloko]

Kanzashi of The Month: July - Gion Matsuri 2024's Design

Way back in 2019, Kazurasei went and uploaded images of the yearly kanzashi at the time and I covered them like a normal kanzashi feature. However, they hadn't uploaded the Gion Matsuri design annually even after it resumed... until now! As always, the kanzashi are courtesy of Kazurasei.

Image is courtesy of Kazurasei. Chō (蝶) - Butterflies Tsuyu Shiba (露柴) - Dew On Grass Tessen (鉄線) - Clematis When this image was originally uploaded at the beginning of July it came as quite a shock as the yearly motifs aren't often leaked early, but boy was it a great thing that it was! 2024's design is actually very similar to 2019's on paper; it features an insect and dew on grass on top of clematis. However, unlike the shimmering wings and stick figure bodies of the dragonfly, we instead have the puffy wings and silver wire bodies of the butterfly! Silver paper butterflies accompany the main motifs on the katsuyama (bridge) piece, so it's interesting to see them used now as a main motif too, making the katsuyama absolutely full of fluttering butterflies! Oddly enough, the rule of colors seems to have changed for this year as junior maiko were seen wearing kanzashi sets with two light pink butterflies and one purple butterfly while senior maiko were seen wearing kanzashi sets with two purple butterflies and one light pink butterfly. Usually junior maiko wear deeper, darker colors to symbolize their inexperience and senior maiko wear pastels to show their seniority, but this year everyone shared the same colors!

Image is courtesy of the Shigemori Okiya. Last time the clematis was featured, it was simply the six petal kind with a rhinestone center. This time around, it still has six petals, but the main ones are white and the accents are pink and blue. It's not unusual to see cultivated clematis have main petals that are one color and smaller, inner petals that are another, so this type of tsumami clematis is emulating that. When put together, the motifs make for a very cooling and calming effect, as shown on maiko Fukunagi (ふく凪) of Shigemori (しげ森) in Miyagawa Cho above. 2024 has now become one of my favorite yearly designs that I can remember (my other favorite is 2018's fireworks and water design). What's yours?

[sinimake]

Part 3 of my Johnshi headcanons !!!

In my previous headcanon, i said Kenshi loves nature and hiking so Johnny often takes them on vacations around the world for Kenshi to enjoy and he even bought a private jet so that Sento doesn't have to go throught TSAs

Johnny has many big celebrity friends and it specially amazes Raiden and Kung Lao like what do you mean you know Lady Gaga? Fyi, We had a game night at her place last month

Johnny learns japanese. While he's not entirely fluent, his accent is immaculate. Locals always get shocked to see a very handsome white guy speaking their language like he's born to do that

^ also Johnny does the most of talking to strangers in Japan bc people get scared when Kenshi approaches them

They both try to go incognito on the streets but Johnny gets always stopped by people, not bc he's recognized, but people are just mesmerized by him

^ one time, a salesman tried to hire him at those male maid cafes and Johnny called Kenshi Ojousama (princess) for whole day to tease him

Johnny and Kenshi at Hanabi festival! Wearing yukatas! Playing matsuri games! And watching fireworks! Kenshi even wins prizes for Johnny in the festival games bc that's what couple do, and Kenshi has never done it for anyone before

Kenshi has a sister, Akane! She operates as the head of their clan and also a skilled swordswoman.

^ Johnny and Akane are menace combined. Kenshi cannot have a minute of peace when they visit his home

While Kenshi's family is always pleasant. Johnny's is not so much. Johnny mom is a shrewd looking woman, and Kenshi was nervous to meet her first bc of her being a cop and him being an ex gangster. But they came to like each other later. Johnny's dad is distant and obviously judgemental of both of them, but he's apprehensive of Kenshi's past enough to hold his tongue for unwanted comments. On the flip side, Johnny's brother? Not so much. He can hope to god that he won't run into the wrong side of Sento, accidentally

They have a small private wedding that represents both of their culture. Liu Kang is their wedding officiant bc he's literally their creator n everything but Johnny and Kenshi thought it would be funny since Liu Kang has put so much effort in them that he's essentially their wingman

Obviously, Kung Lao is Johnny’s bestman and Raiden is Kenshi's

They had to beg Baraka for at least 5 months to come to their wedding, and he finally concedes when Kenshi tells him how much of a good friend and companion he was during their mission to Outworld and they can't imagine their special day without him

They both walk down the aisle, holding hands, and Smoke cried real tears at that

Johnny's manager worked overtime to make sure there will be no paparazzi, and the only official pictures to public are posted on Johnny's instagram. Those are the first ever pics of Kenshi's face valiantly shown, and he's smiling at Johnny with so much love

Johnny's vow includes: "You saved my life. It's yours to keep now."

[geimaikospottingsl]

Kitsuke of the Day: Shrine Visit in Hamamura by Mari Lenoirre Via Flickr: Toshimomo and I visited Hamamura's main Shrine this morning after we went shopping for Obi. Pictured: Toshimomo and Toshinami