18,000 fireworks illuminate the sky over northern Japanese city

Thousands of fireworks illuminated the night sky over Daisen City in northern Japan’s Akita Prefecture on Saturday. The 98th Omagari fireworks competition on the banks of the Omono River is one of the largest of its kind. It showcased 28 pyrotechnic firms from across the country.

They launched about 18,000 pyrotechnic devices. The competition was divided into two categories. The daytime section featured colorful smoke fireworks. The evening section showcased the beauty of traditional round fireworks and creative displays set to music.

The main event was based on the theme, “hymn to glory,” in which around 2,300 fireworks were set off to praise athletes who delivered impressive performances in sporting events this year, including the Winter Olympics and the men’s soccer World Cup.