Please follow us!   Our Sponsors More Sponsors Home l Privacy l 17th Annual Honolulu Festival-Special Interview    The Nagaoka Fireworks from Niigata, Japan will be displayed at the 17th Annual Honolulu Festival to be held March 11-13, 2011. These fireworks are displayed annually in Nagaoka with the sole purpose of preserving world peace. The Nagaoka Fireworks to be displayed at the Honolulu Festival have a very special meaning. History connects Honolulu and Nagaoka in an unfortunate way. Both cities were tragically afflicted during World War II. The good news is that the two communities were able to turn tragedy into a positive experience. We are grateful to be able to bring to fruition a project that we have been working for over two years, a display of these special fireworks in Honolulu. All of this is due to the efforts of many special people led. We are happy to have an opportunity to interview Mr. Kazuo Nizawa, vice chairman of the Executive Committee for Developing a Bridge of Friendship between Japan and USA. The calamity of war that both Honolulu and Nagaoka experienced, and each city's desire for world peace Both Honolulu and Nagaoka have experienced the casualty of war. Nagaoka was attacked by American forces air raids immediately before the end of World War II. Honolulu's Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese military resulting in America's entry into World War II. Coincidentally, the Japanese commander of the Pearl Harbor attack, Naval Marshal General and the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet of Japan Isoroku Yamamoto, was born in Nagaoka. It is also interesting that history indicates that General Yamamoto was against starting war with the United States until the very end. Very complicated and unfortunate historical facts connect the two cities of Nagaoka and Honolulu. World War II ended on August 15, 1945. The city of Nagaoka was attacked by American forces immediately before the end of World War II on August 1, 1945. The attack resulted in severe damage and casualties for the city and its people. Even a year later, the citizens were struggling to survive each day due to severe conditions. Despite their hardships, the citizens pushed forward to honor those who sacrificed their lives with the hope and desire to never repeat such a war. On August 1, 1946, a "Nagaoka City Revival Festival" was held to promote world peace and the reconstruction of Nagaoka. We have been shooting fireworks each year on August 2 and August 3 since. This tradition continues until today. We want the youth, our future generation, to realize the importance of world peace by viewing the Nagaoka Fireworks at the Honolulu Festival. It is our desire, those in Nagaoka who have experienced the devastation of war, to pass this idea on to the people of the world, especially our children and young adults, and ingrain the desire of world peace in their hearts. We want them to perpetuate this idea and share it with others all over the world. Paul Heintz, Education Director at Arizona Memorial Museum Association at Pearl Harbor, continues to educate the youth to preserve peace. Our ideas are very similar. The Nagaoka Fireworks is a Nagaoka City tradition The city of Nagaoka has a population of 2,830,000. Shinano River, Japan's longest river, is just a ten minute walk from the city's main train station. And there is this open area in the center of the city that expands over 1000 meters wide. This is where the fireworks have been shot up to the skies from long ago. It is the perfect location for this. The area is wide and large enough to shoot up the huge fireworks. I believe that has helped in the development of the Nagaoka's Fireworks artifice. The Nagaoka Fireworks Festival is well known for the spectacular "Sanjaku-dama." The diameter of the shell is about one meter (39 inches) and it is shot 600 meters into the sky. I think that the Nagaoka sanjaku-dama is the largest single firework in Japan. But it's not just the mere size that is spectacular but the techniques that are used to create and to shoot up this firework. We have wonderful fireworks specialists that live and work in Nagaoka. And they in turn pass on their trade to their apprentices. This trade is a special tradition of Nagaoka. We are very proud. We are excited to share this tradition of Nagaoka Fireworks with the people of Hawaii and the visitors from abroad. It is also a great opportunity to showcase the city of Nagaoka. There are many visitors from other Japanese cities and prefectures who come specifically to attend the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival each year. As I recall when I invited my classmates when I was a student, they said that they felt their bodies trembling during the fireworks. Yes, it seems that there are many spectators who are emotionally charged by the Nagaoka Fireworks. We want to reproduce Nagaoka Fireworks' grandeur and sounds at the Honolulu Festival Fireworks aren't just about the sparks. You can enjoy the dynamic sounds as well. In Nagaoka we refer to it as "resonations in our belly." Yes, the impact of the sound is amazing. It's the ultimate, like a "boom" in your stomach. You can actually see the fireworks from afar within the city limits of Nagaoka. But it is best to watch it from the river bank. The impact is totally different. When comparing the bank of Shinano River and Waikiki Beach, you will be seeing the fireworks from a closer location than in Nagaoka. I think that it will be an amazing experience. The location that you will be able to see the fireworks in Honolulu is comparable to the closest location that you can see the fireworks in Nagaoka, so the impact and sound are going to be unbelievable. I think it's going to make you feel like all your hair is standing up on your head! On the day of the fireworks, we will be shooting from three barges about 300 meters off Waikiki Beach. First, we will shoot shakudama that are 30 centimeters in diameter, three times. This will be done in loving memory of all the people of Honolulu and Nagaoka who lost their lives in past wars. Normally, the largest fireworks shot in Japan at various festivals are about 15 centimeters in diameter. Ours will be double that size. So you can imagine that our fireworks will be grand and magnificent. This will be continued with 4 displays of Starmine fireworks. I have had the opportunity to view most of the popular firework festivals throughout Japan. The unique feature of the Nagaoka Fireworks is that the fireworks go up in very short interval, there really isn't any wasted time between each shot. We will be using shakudama in the display fireworks portion too. We will be bringing over 100 shakudama from Japan for the Honolulu Festival. After 911 we couldn't take fireworks out of the country. This will be the first time that we are able to take it out of the country since 911, for the Honolulu Festival. There are many regulations in taking fireworks made in Japan to Hawaii. We could not have done it without the huge support of the people in Honolulu. We are aware of the seriousness of this project and the great significance of our participation in the Honolulu Festival. We are excited to show you the qualities that make Nagaoka Fireworks so special. We want to show as many people in Hawaii as possible. We hope that many spectators will come out for our event. From left: Honolulu Festival Foundation, Secretary, Tatsuo Watanabe; Nagaoka　International Exchenge Association , Secretariat Director, Katsuhiro Takano; The Executive Committee for Developing a Bridge of Friendship between Japan and USA, Vice Chairman, Kazuo Nizawa; International Affairs Division, Nagaoka Civic Center , Director, Masao Yoshida; Honolulu Festival Foundation, Executive Director, Masakazu Asanuma. Tweet   　 17th Annual Honolulu Festival Nagaoka Fireworks (tentative schedule) 8:30pm (following the parade) - 8:45pm Venue:Waikiki Beach/Waikiki *Hawaiian105 KINE will be broadcasting the music to the fireworks from 8:30pm-8:45pm. Please bring your FM Radio with you. 1. A Prayer for World Peace: 3 shots Fireworks Three shots of fireworks will be fired in memory of those who lost their lives in past wars. 2. Beginning of the World: Starmine Fireworks Display A series of fireworks will be displayed in unison to the song "Beginning of the World" composed by Nobuhiro Ikehata, oldest son of actor/singer Yuzo Kayama. 3. Sakura Sakura: Starmine Fireworks Display Beautiful pink fireworks will be displayed to an arrangement of the Japanese song "Sakura Sakura." 4. Blue Hawaii: Starmine Fireworks Display This display with focus on the color blue, influenced by the movie "Blue Hawaii" starring Elvis Presley. 5. Tenchijin: Starmine Fireworks Display This display is themed after Nagaoka's historically famous son, Naoe Kanetsugu, a loyal and devoted samurai in Echigo in the 16th century made very popular even in Hawaii through the NHK Taiga Drama "Tenchijin." The theme song will be used. *Details are effective December 2010 and are subject to change without notice. [ Nagaoka Fireworks Special Interview ] Interview 2: Interview with TAMIO MORI, mayor of Nagaoka City in Niigata Prefecture / the Chairman of the Japan Association of City Mayors

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