Hanabi('hanabi' means 'fireworks')
Speaking of summer in Japan, it means 'Hanabi'! My friends, who lived on the floor right below in the same apartment, Vera and I set off the toy fireworks in a local park near house.

My husband was so tired that he couldn't join us. Soon after coming back to our house, he had quickly fallen into a deep sleep....

We set off many kinds of toy fireworks.

In summer you can buy a cheap toy fireworks set, which includes a variety of toy fireworks, at any supermarket, home improvement store and convenience store.

Senkou hanabi(Japanese sparkling fireworks)
Senkou hanabi are small fireworks sticks and they basically give out beautiful sparks. Senkou hanabi are not so showy however I think that they bring back nostalgic memories of our childhood days. So they are essential items for all Japanese toy firework sets. But because we bought a cheap fireworks set, our Senkou hahabi didn't look as beautiful as we had expected. We finished off the day with the Senkou hanabi....

right: Authentic Senkou hanabi gives out lots of beautiful sparks like pine needles. Our Senkou hanabi were supposed to be seen like this!