Fireworks are displayed throughout Japan every summer, especially during the Obon holiday, which honors the spirits of ancestors. As part of the summer fireworks tradition, spectators wear yukata (summer kimono), visit outdoor food stalls and play festival games throughout the evening.

Approximately 20,000 fireworks light up the sky over the Sumida River in central Tokyo during the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival, an annual event on the last Saturday of July. It's the oldest fireworks festival on record in Japan (1733) and was originally organized by Shogun Yoshimune Tokugawa to comfort the spirits of famine and epidemic victims.

Do you know why Japanese shout “Tamaya!” and “Kagiya!” during fireworks displays? These were the names of famous Edo-era fireworks makers' shops, and shouting them is a way of praising the fireworks. Why not enjoy fireworks in Japan this summer? The Akihabara Washington Hotel near the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival venue is a fantastic place to enjoy your stay in Tokyo.

■Akihabara Washington Hotel (Tokyo)
For details, visit: http://akihabara.washington-hotels.jp/