From Signal Fires to a Tradition That Illuminates the Night
Fireworks opening across the summer sky are one of Japan’s most iconic seasonal sights.
Yet their origins were not connected to entertainment. The earliest form of fireworks can be traced to "noroshi", signal fires used to communicate danger across long distances.
Over time, fire moved from the battlefield to the world of spectacle. It became entertainment for samurai lords, a pleasure enjoyed by ordinary townspeople, and eventually an important part of local festivals.
Before Fire Lit the Sky, It Carried Information
Signal fires were an ancient form of communication using smoke by day and flames by night.
In ancient China, signal towers were built at intervals along the Great Wall to warn of approaching enemies. Japan later adopted a similar system. According to the Nihon Shoki, one of Japan’s oldest historical records, signal fires were already being used around the seventh century in border regions such as Iki and Tsushima. In Japan, these signals later became known as noroshi. At the time, fire was not something people gathered to admire. It was a practical tool used to protect lives and carry urgent information.