The Japan Fireworks Artists Association Establishment

The Japan Fireworks Artists Association(abbreviation:JFAA) was established on January 11,1960 in commemoration of awarding of the Medal Honor with Yellow Ribbon from the Japanese Government to late Mr. Gisaku Aoki in the autumn of the previous year(1959) for his creation and completion of the Yaeshin Type Shell(Flower type shell with Double Pistil). Mr.Gisaku Aoki was said to be the possessor of utmost art of Fireworks of his time and this awarding of the Medal of Honor to him was the first case in the field of Fireworks Industry in Japan. JFAA was founded also as an organization to aim to promote and develop the traditional and cultural treasure of Fireworks.

Establishment philosophy

An artistic expression of light, smoke and sound, painted in an instant on the vast canvas of the sky...
No one will object to the idea that fireworks are a form of art.
They have a majestic scale and future potential that cannot be rivaled by any other form of artistic expression.
However, this does not mean that all fireworks being launched today constitute art. In some cases, they are nothing more than a beautiful spectacle, or a scientific phenomenon.
In particular, it cannot be denied that there is a tendency to be content with the traditions and techniques of fireworks art created over many years by our predecessors, and compromises are made using business as an excuse. Many people complain about the stereotypical character of ordinary fireworks shows, and we should be concerned about whether people have had enough of the boom in fireworks contests and are beginning to lose interest.
However, as people who love and live for fireworks, our goal must always be the pursuit of fireworks art.
Furthermore, raising our artistic level, based on manufacturing scientifically safe fireworks, is a task for today that we must not neglect.
In the early 1960s, there was a greater need than ever before for strong cooperation among those with similar aspirations in order to achieve this goal, improve the fireworks industry, and further raise the already high stature of Japanese fireworks in the world.

As stated above, the Government had for the first time recognized the traditional skill of Fireworks with the awarding of the Medal of Honor with Yellow Ribbon．Taking this opportunity, we established the JFAA as an organization whose members possess the traditional and most advanced skill expressing the arts of Japanese Fireworks, in order to make recognized officially the art of Fireworks and traditional skill worthy of living national treasures(intangible cultural assets), members of the Japan Academy of Arts and recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit.

History