This summer fireworks enthusiasts can make full use of JR EAST PASS to travel to numerous
festival events of blazing colors and thrilling big bangs, blow-out extravaganzas featuring
unmatched anywhere Japanese style and know-how. Fireworks in Japan date back centuries
and each year they keep on getting more elaborate and more thrilling for spectators to witness.
Date: Aug.15 19:00-21:00 Place: Lakeside of Lake Suwa, Suwa City, Nagano
One of Japan's most loved fireworks
festivals, 40,000 shells are set-off on and
over Lake Suwa. To the delight of cheering
spectators, stupendous "Starmine" bursts
and a hard-to-believe two kilometers long
"Niagara" brightens up the sky.
Date: Aug. 2 19:40-20:30 Place: Karasugawa Wada bridge Riverside, Takasaki City, Gunma
Kicking off the Takasaki Festival, 15,000 rockets, flares,
starbursts and much more are exploded in
heart-pounding, rapid-fire bursts in just one blazing
hour. View this spectacular from the vantage point of
Mt. Takasaki-Kannon.
Photo by: Shinshu-Nagano Prefectural Tourism Association
Date: Jul.25,28, Aug. 5,8,17,21,24, Sep.15, 20:20-20:50 Place: Atami Bay, Atami City, Shizuoka
Visitors can enjoy 5,000 fireworks during
this dynamic pyrotechnic celebration.
Atami City is justly famed for 'Onsen',
medicinal, health promoting hot-springs-
clients can enjoy evening fireworks shows
as well as a relaxing 'onsen'.
Date: Jul.20 19:30-20:40(TBA) Place: In front of the Yamashita Park, Yokohama City, Kanagawa
This splendid fireworks display marks the
conclusion of the annually held Kaikoukinenn
Minato Festival. This festival commemorates the
opening of Yokohama City port to foreign ships
for the purpose of international trade beginning
May 2, 1859.
Date: Jul. 26 19:10-20:30
Place 1: between Sakura-bashi and Kototoi-bashi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
Place 2: between Komagata-bashi and Umaya-bashi, Taito-ku, Tokyo
20,000 fireworks, the largest number set off in Tokyo. The narrowness of the Sumida
River restricts the size, especially between high buildings, of fireworks and therefore the
pyrotechnicians must take that fact into consideration and use appropriately sized
fireworks, smaller but still thrilling and beautiful in the eyes of onlookers.
Date: Aug. 2-3 19:25-21:30 Place: Shinano Riverside, Nagaoka City, Niigata
One of the three biggest Japanese fireworks marks its 100 years
anniversary. Special fireworks named 'Phoenix' to wish for the
successful revival of the area from the devastating earthquake of
two years ago will be featured.
Date: Sep.9-10 19:30-22:20 Place: at the back of Asahara Shrine, Katakai-machi, Ojiya City, Niigata
The biggest fireworks (a stunning 800m in
radius) in the world, according to the
authoritative Guinness Book of Records,
illuminate the entire sky on each night.
Interestingly, sponsors are local people
wishing for their family's health, longevity,
happiness and other desirable things.
Date: Oct. 4 18:00-20:30 Place: Sakura Riverside, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki
Since 1925 an important competition that
brings together 50 fireworks makers. This
event is known as a trade fair because many
brokers and buyers observe what's new and
spectacular. There is a great deal of
negotiation done afterwards as buyers from
all over Japan order what they particularly
liked for their own summer fireworks.
Photo by: Ojiya City Tourist Association
Photo by: Ibaraki Pref. Tsuchiura City Public Relation Section
Date: Aug. 2 19:00-20:30 Place: Aqua Marine Park, Iwaki City, Fukushima
Iwaki Port Festival includes fireworks
consisting of three segments; a
professional pyrotechnic competition, a
celebratory competition for amateur
civilians and innovative fireworks set
to music. The grand finale includes 22
huge 'shakudama' shells exploding in
awesome grandeur.
Date: Aug. 17 19:10-20:30
Place: Around Matsushima Bay, Matsushima-cho, Matsushima-gun, Miyagi
This traditional event is
well-known for the
multitudes of lanterns that
have been floated for the
past 700 years on rivers,
lakes and seas. During 'Obon'
Festival, the living relatives
send off their ancestor's
spirits on a good journey by
lighting and floating colorful
lanterns on local waters. The
collaboration of fireworks and lanterns is truly a
gorgeous and also spiritual sight.
Date: Aug. 23 18:50-21:40 Place: Omono Riverside, Daisen City, Akita
One of the top firework maker competitions in
Japan. The public comes from all over Japan to
view the big breath-taking fireworks. Only
Japan's best 30 firework makers are entitled to
participate in the competition to show their
fireworks created with all their magic.
Compared to Western countries, the most obvious and pleasant characteristic of Japanese fireworks are in the creation and firing of eye-pleasing spherical explosions. The artistic concepts of fireworks are different between Western countries and Japan, thus the design, manufacturing process and its structures are different. In Western countries, fireworks are created to be dynamic and powerful, Roman candles, snakes and the like with the sequence of bursts harmonized to the sound of accompanying music.
In Japan, the main creative idea of the fireworks master is to design and create the explosions in the shape of huge balls so the effects are seen equally well, to the delight of all onlookers.
'Hanabi', 'fireworks' in the Japanese language can also be translated as 'flower fire'. This flower image comes from beautiful spherical shaped blossoms such as the peony or the chrysanthemum, well known as Japan's Royal Family's symbol.
Photo by: Ibaraki Pref. Tsuchiura City Public Relation Section
Photo By: Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society
Reference Source: Sato Enka (http://www.satoenka.jp)
This summer fireworks enthusiasts can make full use of JR EAST PASS to travel to numerous
festival events of blazing colors and thrilling big bangs, blow-out extravaganzas featuring
unmatched anywhere Japanese style and know-how. Fireworks in Japan date back centuries
and each year they keep on getting more elaborate and more thrilling for spectators to witness.
Fireworks Events in Eastern Japan
