Hanabi

Hanabi (fire flowers) or fireworks are the highlight of summer in Japan. Most cities hold a hanabi matsuri (festival). Many people dress up in yukatas (cotton kimonos) for the occasion. Matsuri food like yakisoba (stirfried noodles), yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), okonomiyaki (Japanese style savoury pancakes), takoyaki (octopus dumplings), jagabata (fried whole potatoes with butter), tomorokoshi (barbequed corn cobs) and chocobananas (bananas dipped in chocolate) are sold. The displays of hanabi are so spectacular that you can momentarily forget the horrendous humidity and heat of summer here!