The origins of Taimatsu Akashi can be traced to a battle in 1589, when the castle in Sukagawa, now a city in Fukushima Prefecture, fell to a powerful warlord. Groups of local residents form teams to construct tall torches that are carried to a local park and set alight. Taiko drums beat out a requiem for the fallen warriors. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the matsuri in 2022 was the first version of the event since 2019. The teams put heart and soul into their elaborate structures.