From late July to late August, Hanabi or fireworks displays are held in various parts of the country. This is a tradition  that goes back several centuries in Japan. Watching the burst of colors against the nighttime sky
 can  make Japan's hot, humid summers seem more tolerable.
 Fireworks are something kids look forward to as a highlight of their summer vacation. Fireworks are hand- made by  artisans, who devote most of the year to preparing for the summertime pageantry.
 Fireworks first reached Japan's shores in the late sixteenth century, when they were brought over by  Portuguese
 sailors. During the Edo period (1603-1868), craftsmen specializing in making fireworks appeared, and fireworks
 displays become a common summertime treat.
 There are about 4,000 to 5,000 fireworks displays around the country during the summer months. Around  250 are
 large-scale events, of which 50 are held in and around Tokyo.

The most famous in Tokyo is the display over the  Sumida River.  It's also one of the oldest, having begun way back in  1733. It was called  off in 1961 because of the huge  traffic jams it caused  and also because many  new  homes around the river made it too dangerous. It  was  revived, though,  in 1978.  Some fireworks are specially designed so that when  they burst they take the  shape of  flowers, animals,  and  waterfalls. A display  in the city of  Tondabayashi, Osaka  Prefecture, is famous for the  "Niagara,"  which rises to  a height of 50 meters (55  yards) and stretches across the sky for 1 kilometer  (1,100 yards)! It's the biggest "special-effects"  firework in the world. The display  itself  is on a