The "2009 Biwako Dai-hanabi Taikai" fireworks display, which lights up the summer in the Lake Biwa area, was held on August 7 all along Otsu Port, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. This year was the 26th show with the theme of "Biwa-ko Shizen Sansaku," or Lake Biwa nature walk, and roughly 10,000 fireworks lit up the night sky and the lake's surface, captivating the 350,000 visitors (organizer's figure).

At 7.30 p.m., a giant firework exploded high in the night sky to announce the start of the "festival of light," throughout which fireworks shot up, forming images of flowers and features of the four seasons of the Lake Biwa area, also known as the Kokoku region, including rows of cherry trees, lotus flowers and autumn leaves.

In addition, a variety of other fireworks were fired off one after another, including the water surface "star mine" fireworks, so typical of Lake Biwa, and a series of 25 big shell fireworks, creating a tapestry of light which lasted for about an hour.

Next year the event will take place on August 6.