Originally developed as a form of entertainment for a 17th century feudal lord, fireworks (hanabi) in Japan have since become not only a booming industry, but a highly competitive one as well. The undisputed masters of the trade are 77-year-old Tamon Aoki and his son Akio, who spend weeks preparing for a special fireworks competition. With 50 entrants and an audience of 180,000, the event is their greatest challenge of the year. The program visits the hanabi masters' home to see the new and ever-sophisticated fireworks patterns that are still produced by hand.