The amazing hand-held fireworks cannons of Toyohashi!

Toyohashi's hand-held fireworks, shot off by men actually wielding the cannons, have their roots in the Warring States period. The tradition started when the local daimyos around Yoshida Castle gave the hand-held fireworks as offerings to Yoshida Jinja Shrine. As well as an opportunity to pray for a bountiful harvest and good health, it was a chance for the young people to put their courage to the test. This three-day festival, one of the most representative among the countless similar events of Eastern Mikawa, honors the fireworks' history with ceremonies, rituals, and one of the largest fireworks displays of the region.