Odaiba Firework Festival: Lucky
While I don't tend to generally dislike the summer heat, there's nothing that sways my opinion more than a sultry summer's evening drenched in sweat - a great follow-up to any sunny day choked with humidity, of course. And, wow - I had been out shopping for a fancy bookmark, probably losing a few kilos in the process. So just when I thought visiting crowded Odaiba was the most horrible idea ever, and had pretty much abandoned the idea, a good friend who works for a big company invited us to view spectacular fireworks from the comfort of the 11th floor, in an air conditioned building overlooking the bay. Lucky?! It was nothing short of a miracle.
Upon arriving, the observation floor was full of workers and their families, but it didn't seem so bad to me. Someone else in the party with a pricey Canon decided that was unacceptable though, and led the way into her high-security 9th floor office - still, what a view! There were others (allegedly?) working at the time, creating a not-so-nice reflection on the glass, but the fireworks were mostly exploding at eye level, revealing a beautiful amount of intricate detail.
The view was awesome. Slightly skewed by a couple buildings, but still awesome. It was also possible to see a lane of traffic crawling to a halt on the nearby expressway, as they also struggled to see the show, contributing cascades of comical commentary.
Despite the luck and convenience of watching one of Tokyo's best firework shows for free, we talked about throwing in for a room at the hotel blocking our view next year, or possibly a river boat firework cruise. For better pictures, of course.
Visit batsu3.org to view the gallery.