Crazy firework dancing

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In early October there were a number of local firework festivals. I stumbled across one in my own village of Tomida, and joined in a procession up to the local temple to watch some crazy men dressed in festival costumes dancing under a pole, whilst carrying some kind of float. The pole had a handmade firework that gives off a shower of golden sparks for about 10 minutes, during which time the men dance underneath, getting pretty burnt in the process, as a feat of endurance I suppose.

The next day my friend Sumiko, who owns a small stationary shop, was sponsoring the homemade fireworks in her village, so she invited a few of the English teachers to join her at the festival in the special sponsor VIP area. The fireworks at this temple were pretty amazing - normal fireworks just won't seem the same now. They rig up an elaborate system of ropes, pulleys and wheels, which the fireworks shoot along. Like my village festival they also had the crazy dancers enduring about ten minutes worth of burn time!!

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