Sparklers are no longer seen in urban areas.  In the olden days, as the night goes on, neighbors who have finished the dinner come out little by little with a fan in their hands to enjoy the cool evening breeze.  From children to adults, those who play shogi under the street lights, those who sit on the floor and have a good time, are quite lively.  Among them, fireworks were especially popular with children.  The set fireworks and the mouse fireworks are popping here and there.  Sparklers are one of them, and unlike other fireworks, many girls and elderly people gather.  The sparklers that change with buds, peonies, pine needles, willows, and scattered chrysanthemums are gentle and varied, and are a way of scattering that reminds us of human life.  Finally, when the fireworks core solidified and fell to the ground, sighs could leak from the people around me.

線香花火は都会地ではすっかり見られなくなりました。昔は、夜の帳が下りる頃になると、夕餉を終えた近所の人達が夕涼みがてら、団扇を手にして三々五々外に出てきます。子供から大人まで、街灯の下で将棋をする者、床几に座って団欒する者、結構賑やかなものです。中でも、特に子供たちに人気があったのは花火。仕掛け花火やネズミ花火があちらこちらで弾けています。線香花火もそのひとつで、他の花火と違って女の子やお年寄りも多く集まります。蕾、牡丹、松葉、柳、散り菊と変化する線香花火は優しくて変化に富み、まるで人の人生を思わせる散り方です。最後に花火の芯が丸く固まってポツンと地面に落ちると、周りの人達の中からため息が漏れることもありました。