Handtube Firework Display

Hi again, this is Ian from Hida-takayama guesthouse. I had no choice but to cancel my plan to go dancing overnight at Gujyo-hachiman the other night. While you might think it was good news from the point of view of the hostel, given I would have had enough sleep and would not doze off at work. But my plan of overnight dance actually became overnight translation, on which I was very much behind schedule. I'm not sure which is more tiring as one is physical and the other is mental. But both involved sleep deprivation, so I'm indeed tired. But please be rest assured that I'm fully awake, as I'm writing this blog, and am delivering services to our guests to the highest standard as usual.

Enough introduction. Given my failure to participate in the Gujyo overnight dance, I will write about something else. Last week, I went to see the handtube firework display within Takayama city. I must say the performance blew me away. Each round three to four guys (I suspect there were female participants as well. Salute!) would stand by at a specific point holding a big tube. After being ignited, the tube would start shooting out sparks, which grew more vigorous in time until it ended all of a sudden in an explosion, sending the temporarily lighted up sky back to darkness again. That the handtube holders had to stand there all the way, during which time fire sparks appeared to rain down on their bodies, added to the thrill of the performance. Even though you well know that it must be very safe given they are doing it every year, I could not help but feel frightened that the final explosion might blow them to pieces, especially it turned suddenly pitch dark after the explosion that they seemed to have disappeared every time. I also wonder if it would burn you to a certain extent, even though it is not life-threatening. I would imagine if I were standing there, I would almost certainly humiliate myself by starting to scream, jump all around and finally throw the tube inside the river. End of story. This is surely a perfect demonstration of masculinity, which I am certainly lacking. Give me some time and I will work on it. Then maybe next year I can volunteer to take part in the event.