From summer through autumn in Japan, nearly every prefecture and city takes turns hosting fireworks festivals large and small, and the night sky is constantly being painted with brilliant color. Today, a gentle early-autumn breeze drifted across Shirahama Beach in Wakayama, as crowds lay on the soft white sand watching fireworks bloom across the night sky like peacocks spreading their tails.

Every August, I find myself paying a little more attention to the night sky — because this is when the Perseid meteor shower puts on its best show. And this year (2026) is especially unusual: on August 12th, the world will witness a total solar eclipse, and that very same night, the Perseids will reach their peak. I can't say for certain how rare a combination like this really is, but one thing is certain — this is a year worth marking on the calendar.