Discover Hundreds of Free Japanese Fireworks Illustrations

Japan's Yokohama Library is sharing an inspiring free online catalog of vintage illustrated advertisements

Fireworks have long been associated with great celebrations—from the turn of each new year in many countries around the world to high-profile event openings like the Olympics. We use this combination of gunpowder and other chemicals to create lights, sounds, and shapes that enchant.

First invented in China around the second century BCE, fireworks were originally mounted on bamboo poles and set off to ward off evil spirits. They arrived in Europe in the thirteenth century, and from the fifteenth century onwards began appearing in religious festivals and large social entertainment events.

But it was in Japan that fireworks became an art that fascinated children and adults, alike. Around 1600, the Japanese started using fireworks, known as hanabi—a word that combines the characters for 'fire' and 'flower'. The name comes from an analogy between a flower that blooms beautifully but dries quickly, combined with the charms of fire.

If you want to explore this fascinating art form through illustration, Japan's Yokohama City Library website is sharing a free catalog of illustrations that offer a rich and detailed visual narrative of fireworks throughout Japanese history.

Read on for details on how to access the catalogs and check out some examples.

A brief history of Japanese fireworks

Still considered the best and most beautiful in the world, Japanese fireworks have been developed for centuries by great artisans.

Ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) is said to have been the first person to see a fireworks display in Japan. Since then, they have become highly popular in various types of celebrations and are still used today.

Legend has it, it was during the nineteenth century when firework artisans really honed their craft through a competition called hanabishi. The creators lived in the Ryōgoku Bridge region, built in 1659 to cross the Sumida River, which is still the scene of traditional celebrations today.

Throughout the competition's fireworks display, people chanted the names of the main master craftsmen of the time: Kayiga and Tamaya. In 1843, the rivalry came to an end due to an explosion at the Tamaya store that forced the family business to close.

The traditional summer fireworks display on the Sumida River (during the month of August) is part of a tradition started around 1733 to honor the spirits of ancestors.

Until mid-1870, the fireworks featured only red and orange colors but gained more diversity with the importation of new techniques and materials from Europe. In fact, the Italians were the first Europeans to manufacture and widely use fireworks in beautiful displays for special occasions.

Where can I find the Japanese fireworks illustrations

The illustrations, available via the Yokohama City Library website, tell a visual narrative of Japanese fireworks throughout history.

They are part of a collection of catalogs digitized by the library with advertisements in English for Hirayama Fireworks and Yokoi Fireworks, published by CT Brock and Company—the UK's oldest fireworks manufacturer.

These images, all from the nineteenth century, evoke a unique sense of visual enchantment while documenting an important period of Japanese culture.

In addition to various types of fireworks, you'll find records of daytime hanabi, created in balloons that resemble piñatas shaped like frogs, horses, and more.

All of the illustrations are available in the public domain and can be used in creative projects or as references for your artistic projects.

Download the illustrations here.

Note: the library's website is in Japanese. To download the catalogs, click on the title and then tap "本体PDF画像 "; you can also use tools like Google Translate to make your search easier.

If you want to learn more, check out Domestika's online illustration courses and improve your skills with experts from the international creative scene.

And, if you want to discover more free stuff like this, check out the Creative Resources section of our blog.

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