About this event
The "Ryusei Festival," held during the Annual Grand Festival of Muku Shrine located in Shimo-yoshida, Chichibu City, features Ryusei fireworks that soar up to 300 meters into the sky with a roaring sound. It was named after its resemblance to an ascending dragon. Ryusei, handmade rockets crafted by local farmers, is designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and is a sacred ritual handed down through generations. Invented through repeated trial and error, Ryusei has made a unique mark on the history of space rocketry, with anecdotes noting high interest even from officials of the National Air and Space Museum in the United States. While there are various theories regarding its origins, historical records from Muku Shrine recount that later generations of shrine parishioners shot light into the sky in reverence of the light emitted from the halberd held by Yamato Takeru no Mikoto, while other traditions say it was devised and refined by farmers based on smoke signals from the Sengoku period. Preservation efforts continue to ensure that the manufacture and launch of Ryusei are carried out safely without accidents. On the day of the festival, parking areas around the venue are expected to be extremely congested, so the use of public transportation is recommended. Temporary direct buses from Minano Station on the Chichibu Railway are convenient.
Official website (Japanese) ↗Venue
Muku Shrine (Chichibu Yoshida)
7377 Shimo-yoshida, Chichibu, Saitama 369-1503
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