Fireworks displays snuffed out by recession

Traditional summer fireworks displays are under threat across Japan, as recession-hit businesses pull back on sponsorship.

The lack of funds has already forced the cancellation of several long-standing events, while many others have been scaled back to accommodate smaller budgets.

Organizers of a fireworks display in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, are among those feeling the pinch.

Early this year, they sought donations for the summer event "Fukuroi Enshu no Hanabi (Fukuroi Enshu's fireworks)," one of the biggest of its kind in Japan, with 30,000 fireworks. Enshu is the old name of the western part of Shizuoka Prefecture.

The organizers found many firms that had provided sponsorship in previous years were reluctant to offer money.

An official of an automobile-related company told the organizers, "We are considering cutting remunerations for executives and salaries for other employees (substantially). If we offer money for a fireworks show at such a time, we will face strong opposition from our labor union."

The organizers were able to collect only 30 million yen in total, down from about 86 million yen raised last year.

They considered holding a smaller-scale event, but some members opposed the proposal, saying, "We cannot lower the quality." The organizers decided in March to cancel this year's event.

An annual fireworks display in Tadotsu, Kagawa Prefecture, is also among the events cancelled this year.

The event, "Tadotsu Natsu Matsuri (Tadotsu summer festival)," usually involved about 4,000 fireworks being fired over about 40 minutes. The impressive display drew about 40,000 spectators every year around the event site at Tadotsu Port.

This year, however, organizers were unable to collect the roughly 10 million yen in donations necessary for its staging. They decided at the end of April to cancel the show.

Other fireworks shows cancelled this year include "Misaki Minato Matsuri Hanabi Taikai (Misaki port festival--fireworks display)" in Miura, Kanagawa Prefecture, and "Miyazaki Natsu no Yomatsuri (Miyazaki summer night festival)" on the banks of Oyodogawa river in Miyazaki.

The organizers for the "Naniwa Yodogawa Hanabi Taikai (Naniwa Yodogawa fireworks display), to be held in Osaka on Aug. 8, raised the fees for certain seats for spectators to cover costs for maintaining security at the event.

For example, fees for designated seats that offer "bento" boxed meals were raised from 6,500 yen last year to 7,000 yen or 7,500 yen this year.

One fireworks display which was to be dropped due to falling donations was revived after a public outcry over its proposed cancellation.

In January this year, the city government of Sanda in Hyogo Prefecture decided to cancel its fireworks display which had been held since 1992. However, some residents opposed the cancellation, saying, "You cannot deprive children of their opportunity to make their memories."

Residents came up with their own fundraising ideas and sold stickers urging the city government to hold the event. The campaign led the municipal government to revive the fireworks show.

The cancellation due to the shortage of donations from companies has also spread to summer festivals. One of them is "Kitasenri Awa Odori" dance festival at the Dios Kitasenri commercial complex in Suita, Osaka Prefecture.

The operator of Dios Kitasenri said it cannot shoulder about 10 million yen of the festival's costs due to a decline in sales.

"The festival had played the role of spreading Awa Odori dance in the Kansai region," said Shofukutei Gakko, 55, a "rakugo" comic storyteller from Tokushima Prefecture, the home of the traditional Awa Odori dance.

The dance festival, one of the largest in the Kansai region, started 10 years ago after Gakko began dance practice sessions at Dios Kitasenri.

Last year, about 700 dancers took part in the festival over two days. It drew about 15,000 spectators.(IHT/Asahi: June 24,2009)