Utagawa Hiroshige-One Hundred Famous Views of Edo-99-Winter-Ryogoku Fireworks 歌川広重-名所江戸百景-99-冬-両国花火
Current Address: Ryogoku, Sumida Ward (Sumida River Fireworks Grounds)
Latitude and Longitude: Latitude: 35.6978, Longitude: 139.7967
Published: August 1858 Age: 62
Tourist Guide-Style Commentary: “Ryogoku Fireworks”
■ Introduction
When you think of summer in Edo, you think of “Sumida River Fireworks.” Utagawa Hiroshige vividly captured this tradition, which continues into the modern-day “Sumida River Fireworks Festival,” in “Ryogoku Fireworks,” one of his illustrations from “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo.”
Fireworks exploding into the night sky, boats filling the river, and bustling people lining the river.
This work truly encapsulates the essence of Edo’s summer in one picture.
Ryogoku was Edo’s premier entertainment district, and fireworks viewing was a major summer event for the common people.
Hiroshige’s “Ryogoku Fireworks” conveys the enthusiasm and joy of Edoites of the time to the present day, and can be said to be a “primitive Edo summer scene.”
■About Ryogoku
Ryogoku refers to the area around Ryogoku Bridge over the Sumida River, which is now the area around Ryogoku in Sumida Ward and Higashi-Nihonbashi in Chuo Ward in Tokyo.
Since the late 17th century, the area has been home to fireworks displays, water teahouses, theaters, and sumo wrestling, making it a popular recreational destination for the common people.
It was truly the “center of Edo’s entertainment.”
Fireworks displays date back to 1733, when Tokugawa Yoshimune held a “river opening” ceremony to ward off epidemics and to hold a festival to the water god.
Since then, they have become a staple summer event in Ryogoku.
■Characteristics of the Fireworks Display
Held every year on May 28th, the entire Sumida River area is filled with people.
People enjoy boating, congregate on the bridge, and enjoy food and drink on the riverbank…
It was one of Edo’s largest recreational events.
Edo fireworks are famous for two of its greatest firework makers, Kagiya and Tamaya.
Audiences would shout “Tamaya!” and “Kagiya!” and cheers would ring out with each firework.
The star attraction of the fireworks viewing was the houseboat.
Wealthy townspeople, daimyo, and even commoners pooled their money to board and enjoy the fireworks while eating and drinking.
■Highlights of the Picture
Tamaya, located upstream of Ryogoku Bridge, and Kagiya, located downstream, competed to set off fireworks.
In 1732, a poor harvest struck areas west of the Kinai region, leaving more than 160,000 people starving.
Cholera broke out in Edo, killing many.
To mourn these untimely deaths, the shogunate held a Water God Festival at the foot of Ryogoku Bridge.
Fireworks were one of the events, and the festival has since become an annual event.
This is a bird’s-eye view of Ryogoku Bridge from upstream on the Sumida River.
Many people are watching the fireworks on the bridge.
On the river are summer boats such as houseboats, roofed boats, and boar-shaped boats.
Other boats floating around are selling sake, sushi, and fruit.
Note that Tamaya was banished from Edo in 1843 due to a fire.
■Connection to the Modern Sumida River Fireworks Festival
The Ryogoku Fireworks Festival was temporarily discontinued due to war and urbanization, but was revived in 1978 as the Sumida River Fireworks Festival.
It is now one of Tokyo’s most iconic summer events.
Today, for safety reasons, spectators mainly watch from the riverbank, but boating is still popular.
Enjoying fireworks from a houseboat is a tradition that dates back to the Edo period.
■Recommended Tourist Guide Points
①Ryogoku Kokugikan
Enjoying the fireworks in conjunction with Edo culture and sumo will deepen your understanding.
② Houseboat Experience
Even today, you can board a houseboat from Ryogoku or Asakusa and enjoy the night view and fireworks along the Sumida River.
It’s a rare experience that allows you to relive the atmosphere of the Edo period.
③ Visit the Fireworks Festival
The Sumida River Fireworks Festival is held every year in late July.
Viewing the fireworks while comparing them with Hiroshige’s paintings will give you a sense of the connection between Edo and the present day.
