This year, my family and I watched the Okazaki and Nagara River fireworks displays on TV. While it may not quite match the immersive experience of being there in person, watching on TV has its own unique charm. The fireworks, set to background music, were absolutely beautiful, and at the Okazaki Fireworks Festival, a highlight reel filmed by drone was broadcast after the show ended.
The footage, which made it seem as though we were diving right into the fireworks, was as beautiful as a scene from a movie. I feel like I was able to fully appreciate the charm of the fireworks, which the pyrotechnicians had painstakingly crafted.
Okazaki Castle Grand Fireworks Live Broadcast 2026 | TV Aichi (Japanese only)
Amid all this, I began seeing more commercials for the “Harekaze” beer and learned about an initiative called “Harekaze ACTION.” This is a campaign that supports fireworks festivals facing the threat of cancellation by donating a portion of the product’s sales.
Not only does purchasing the beer automatically lead to a donation, but you can also donate using “Harekaze Coins,” which you can receive once a day by visiting the official website.
Fireworks Festival Support Activities | Harekaze ACTION | KIRIN (Japanese only)
Incidentally, “Harekaze” and “Harekaze ACTION” are registered Japanese trademarks of Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd. While attention tends to focus on the fireworks support initiative itself, from my perspective as someone involved in intellectual property, I cannot overlook the fact that the initiative’s name and brand name are appropriately protected as trademarks.
A beer enjoyed while watching fireworks is truly special. Learning about these initiatives makes that drink feel even more special. I can’t help but hope that this quintessential Japanese summer tradition will continue to be passed down for generations to come.
Speaking of which, while organizing some old photos, I came across a picture of fireworks.
This was taken at “Hanabi Fes.”, held at Laguna Beach in Gamagori Laguna Tenbos, which we visited during our 2018 staff trip.♪ (Cacao)
*“Harekaze” (Japanese Trademark Registration No. 6752854, Japanese Trademark Registration No. 6886937) and “Harekaze ACTION” (Japanese Trademark Registration No. 6841058) are registered trademarks of Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd.