KAMAKURA, Jul 18 (News On Japan) - On the night of July 17, Kamakura held its first fireworks festival in five years. Despite recent rain keeping Tokyo's temperatures below 30°C, dangerous heat is expected to return by Saturday.
At 7 PM, the Kamakura fireworks festival saw many spectators gathering to enjoy the show. A temperature reading at the site showed 27.2°C.
Overcoming the challenges of the pandemic and financial difficulties, the Kamakura fireworks festival attracted around 160,000 attendees.
"It's so humid, it's unbearable. We're staying hydrated and using fans," said one attendee. A family enjoying the event commented, "We're eating cold pineapple to beat the heat. Looking forward to the fireworks!" A child added, "The fireworks are fun!"
Approximately 2,500 fireworks lit up the summer night sky.
In Kyoto, the "Yamahoko Junko" procession, the highlight of the Gion Festival, took place, attracting 140,000 spectators to this thousand-year-old tradition.
Across Japan, the full arrival of summer seems imminent. On July 17, the Kagoshima Meteorological Observatory announced that the rainy season has likely ended in southern Kyushu.
"It's hot," said a child in Kagoshima, where temperatures exceeded 35°C.
In Kagoshima City, couples were seen taking commemorative photos in a park.
"Really, the rainy season is over in southern Kyushu? It's too hot. I'm using ice packs inside my kimono," commented one person.
Even in other parts of Kyushu that haven't yet seen the end of the rainy season, the heat is intense.
A resident of Hita City, Oita Prefecture, remarked, "I can feel the heat of the basin intensely. It's not humid but scorching."
On July 17, the highest temperature in the nation was recorded in Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, at 36.7°C. A gelato shop on the approach to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, known for academic success, saw long lines of customers.
In the afternoon of July 17, the atmosphere in the Kanto region became unstable, leading to sudden downpours. People rushed to the station while a delivery woman braved the rain to deliver packages. The sudden rain continued into the night.
In the Tokai and Kanto regions, the rainy season may be declared over as early as the 18th. As for the temperatures after the rainy season...
Meteorologist Mika Kunimoto warned, "The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a 'General Weather Information on High Temperatures.' This information is not frequently released and aims to raise awareness about the risks of heatstroke and health management. We already experienced a heatwave at the beginning of July, but the heatwave period is expected to be very long. There are concerns that temperatures in inland Kanto and Tokai regions may approach 40°C."
Source: TBS
