Teams of local residents pour heart and soul into the construction of handmade rockets called ryusei that feature in the Yoshida Ryusei matsuri. The rockets carry local hopes and prayers high in the sky over Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture. Seventeen teams made ryusei rockets for the event in October, 2022, which was the first time the event had been held in three years. Each team has its own black powder recipe with unique ingredients and ratios to make their rocket soar.
Rockets carrying local prayers soar into the autumn sky, roaring like dragons.
The Yoshida district is home to a matsuri where hand-made rockets are set off as part of the grand festival at Muku Shrine.
The rockets are called ryusei.
Local residents are divided into teams, and in the weeks leading up to the festival, each team makes a different ryusei.
It's fun because we make them!
If we don't, it's boring.
I'm Takeuchi Sadao, 65.
I'm a carpenter and
I work in construction.
I joined my local ryusei team
when I was 18 or so.
Later, I wanted to head my own team.
Takeuchi got his wish, setting up "Team Aika Unryu" some 20 years ago.
This is the pine we'll use.
It'll be packed with gunpowder.
A split pine log is
hollowed out then reattached.
Then we round the outside.
And fill it with gunpowder.
Ryusei gunpowder contains
charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur.
Each team has its own recipe.
Different amounts and ratios.
Because of the pandemic, the 2022 matsuri was the first in three years.
We all have hopes and dreams:
the end of COVID-19, world peace.
Our ryusei help people forget the
negatives for a moment, and smile!
No ryusei have been made in two years.
We chose to go ahead this year
so that those skills would not be lost.
For that purpose, they introduced safety measures
-- which unfortunately had to include sacrificing admission fees on the day of the festival,
an important source of income for them.
September. The members of Takeuchi's team gather.
You see the split bamboo ties?
It keeps the powder packed in.
Newcomers learn from veterans how to braid bamboo.
Hold it here to keep it tight.
Keep pinching it here
or it'll loosen right up.
It's ryusei season.
Nothing felt right without them.
Every year I'd come here again
and again to help make one.
I just like to see them fly.
If it goes up and flies apart as we hope,
it'll be amazing.
The matsuri is next week.
Today the gunpowder they mixed themselves is packed into the pine case.
We take turns all day.
250, 300 blows to the plug.
Until we have enough.
Packing the powder takes muscle power, and so younger members take the lead.
It was tough! I have blisters
on my hands, and I'm exhausted.
I showed them what to do yesterday.
I didn't expect it to look so good!
I think we did a good job.
Now we'll just wait for the big day.
Seventeen teams are taking part.
Each time, after a fervent prayer, a team representative provides a running commentary.
Please accept our offering!
Aika Unryu will fire the 15th rocket.
And now it's their turn.
We put heart and soul into it.
Thank you for your support.
Please accept our offering!
Ryusei carrying local hopes and dreams have finally returned to the skies of Yoshida.
Pandemic fears may not be completely gone, but the festival is back!