4. Yoshida Ryusei: Chichibu

Overview

Teams of local residents pour heart and soul into the construction of handmade rockets called ryusei that feature in the Yoshida Ryusei matsuri. The rockets carry local hopes and prayers high in the sky over Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture. Seventeen teams made ryusei rockets for the event in October, 2022, which was the first time the event had been held in three years. Each team has its own black powder recipe with unique ingredients and ratios to make their rocket soar.