Most of work is done by hand. The fireworks specialist operate the explosives carefully check out them with their fingertips. The process of making itself is passed on from generations ago, but we work hard to use new explosives and technology. We aim to improve our technology even more by means of exploring new explosives and participating in fireworks contests. We make fireworks with full responsibility all the way from a point of mixing powders to make explosives up to the point when the firework is launched and it vanishes up in the sky. Let us introduce the manufacturing process that is formed from traditional techniques.
We compose explosives that make up the star and the breaking charge. After measuring the powders we mix them well by putting them to the sieve several times. The type, amount and distribution of explosives differ depending on the type, color and size of the fireworks.
We put the composed explosive that would become a star wick into a “star making device” that is a big revolving caldron, add the explosives and water and revolve the caldron. The liquefied explosives stick to the star and it becomes bigger and bigger.
When a star becomes big enough we put it out on the sun and let it dry well. After it is dried, we add more explosives on to stars to make them bigger repeatedly until needed size.
We put stars inside a shell made of paper.We make a pair of shells filled with stars, and one has a fuse.
To break the fireworks in the sky we put it the breaking charge. We put Japanese paper between the stars and the cracking explosives to fixate the stars and to prevent their ignition due to rubbing of explosives against each other. And in the end we put the two hemispheres together.
If there is no equal pressure on all directions, a firework would not become spherical. So we evenly glue on paper over the firewoks. We glue it and roll them, glue and roll. The purpose is to make them all the same to produce a beautifully round firework.
The last stage is sunlight-drying. By slowly drying the fireworks in the sunlight we evaporate the moisture that is a big enemy of fireworks. By repetition of paper gluing and sun-drying we let out all the air that was inside and the firework is ready.
We label the fireworks and put it to safe-keeping in the explosives storage. But the real completion of a firework is when it rises up in the night sky and bursts out like a flower.