PL Hanabi

Sorry, my posts are quite behind, but better late than never!

Summer in Japan means festivals, yukata, shaved ice, and fireworks. For the past three years, I have been able to enjoy Japan’s amazing fireworks displays. This year, I went to PL Hanabi in Tondabayashi for the first time. It’s one of the most famous displays in Osaka. “PL” stands for “perfect liberty” …I have no idea why lol.

I went to see the fireworks with my boyfriend, as that’s often what couples do. However, it’s perfectly normal to go see fireworks with your friends or family, as well.

As expected, the amount of people was crazy. The trains were packed. I suggest using a train card like ICOCA, SUICA, or PASMO with money preloaded on it, because once you get to the main hubs to transfer to go to Tondabayashi, you can expect to wait in line for up to an hour just to buy a train ticket! Expect to be smashed together in the train. Once you get there, you must follow a sea of people to the viewing area; crowded and slow moving. The past two years I have gone to the show in Kobe where they shoot off the fireworks over the sea. The walk from the station to the viewing areas is a lot less crowed and less difficult because there are so many vantage points (although finding a good place to sit is difficult unless you go several hours ahead and steak out a spot). In Tondabayashi, there is only one main viewing place. My boyfriend and I got so tired from the walk, we didn’t make it all the way to the viewing area and decided to watch from a side road. It wasn‘t the perfect view, but it was still decent.

The firework show itself was gorgeous and not disappointing. This one did however seem to be a bit shorter than the Kobe one. The grand finale was breathtaking. You couldn’t help but make “oooo’s and ahhhh’s” when the fireworks exploded with dazzling shapes, colors, and sizes. One thing that was nice about the PL Hanabi was that the streets were lined with food stands specially placed for the event. You could get all sorts of treats as long as you didn’t mind waiting in some lines.

After the fireworks are over, you must start the long process of going home. It took like an hour of walking in slow moving crowds guided by police officers to get back to the station. It was very hot and sweaty. Bring lots of water! Was it worth it though? I’d say yes.

On the way home, we stopped at our favorite standing sushi bar for dinner. Delicious! Once we got back home by the last train, we chilled in the park and lit off our own little fireworks which was so much fun! We laughed because we bought the ones that expand and look like poop when you light them. Also we laughed when we lit off these little spinning ones that make noise and shoot into the air like helicopters because it pissed off a cicada in a nearby tree. Every time we little one, the cicada started screaming haha!

Maguro Ittetsu in Kyobashi,

Sparklers in the park.

Firework shows are an exciting, cheap, and romantic date and simply just fun if you’re with your friends. Definitely check out one of the many shows if you’re visiting Japan in the summer.