SAGA: A hot air balloon event started in Saga Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Saturday without an audience as a replacement for an annual international festival that was canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Some 30 hot air balloons flew on the day. The event will last until Tuesday.

It is the first time that the Saga International Balloon Fiesta has been called off since it started in 1980. Last year’s festival was joined by 121 hot air balloons from 16 countries and regions, attracting some 930,000 visitors from Japan and abroad over the five days through Nov. 4. The festival includes a contest for techniques to operate hot air balloons.

In June, the organizing committee for the annual festival decided to cancel this year’s event due to difficulties taking measures to prevent crowding.

Instead, the committee decided to hold programs, including “fun flights” of balloons above residential areas in the city of Saga, the capital of the prefecture, and the distribution of online videos of balloons illuminated at night with music tunes.

“Many people waved to me and talked to me,” said Suzuna Yokomatsu, a 25-year-old corporate employee, who served as a hot air balloon pilot for the fun flights on Saturday.

Yokomatsu said: “The cancellation of the annual festival, which is hugely popular among local residents, is regrettable, but it couldn’t be helped in order to prevent coronavirus infection.”

JIJI Press