Cheer Up, Japan! Look Up at the Skies

Tokyo’s night sky was ablaze with colorful fireworks on Monday, June 1, as pyrotechnicians hope to uplift the spirits of the public amid the COVID-19 crisis.  

According to Yahoo! News, more than 150 firework makers simultaneously launched their displays at 8 p.m. for the "Cheer Up! Hanabi Project." 

The organizers kept the display short and sweet to avoid drawing huge crowds. 

Fireworks festivals are a big deal in Japan every summer. Unfortunately, these long-honored events were either postponed or canceled due to the pandemic.  

"As we face gloomy news due to the virus, people often tend to look down but when fireworks are set off, we look up. I hope we can help people do just that," Kohei Ogatsu, director of the Tokyo-based Marutamaya Ogatsu Fireworks Co., tells Kyodo News. 

*Main image used for illustration purposes only