| 1. Chikugogawa Fireworks Festival (MAP 1) |
2. Miyajima Water Fireworks Festival (MAP 2) |
Date: 8/5(Wed) 19:40-21:10
Place: Chikugogawa riverside, Kurume City
Access: 10 mins walk from JR Kurume Sta.
The largest fireworks display in
Western Japan with 18,000
fireballs. This event's long history
can be traced as far back as the
year 1650 when sparklers were
used by pilgrims paying homage
at Suitengu Shrine.
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Date: 8/14(Fri) 19:50-20:50
Place: Itukushima Shrine seaside
Access: 10 mins walk from Miyajima port after 10 mins by ferry from Miyajima-guchi pier
The world-famed crimson 'torii'
gateway to Itukushima Shrine
provides a unique background
unmatched anywhere to a spectacular
display of fireworks rising
from the sea. A UNESCO Heritage
Site, it is rightfully considered one
of Japans three greatest traditional
sites.
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Photo Provided by Miyajima Tourist Association |
| 3. Minato Kobe Fireworks Festival(MAP 3) |
4. Okazaki Summer Fireworks Festival (MAP 4) |
Date: Early Aug.
Place: Meriken Park, Chuo-ku, Kobe City
Access: 5 mins walk from Minato-Motomachi Sta. on Kaigan Subway Line.
To the sounds of music for maximum
dramatic interpretation, the
audience can view newly designed
fireworks. This magical event ends
with the incredible, eye-popping
underwater "Starmine", a rapid-fire
succession of explosions that turns
the ocean and sky a vivid crimson
color.
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Date: 8/1(Sat) 19:00-21:30 (Scheduled)
Place: Otogawa and Yahagigawa Riverside, Okazaki City, Aichi
Access: 15 mins walk from Higashi-Okazaki Sta. on Meitetsu Nagoya Line
The origin is Sugou Shrine's Festival
when the region's 'ferrymen'
who operated the rafts crossing
local rivers, paid homage to the
local water god they depended on
for good luck. Since 1630, this
festival has been much appreciated
and enjoyed by the local people.
From the early 19th century,
fireworks have been added as an
integral part of the festivities.
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| 5. Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival (MAP 5) |
6. Takasaki Festival (MAP 6) |
Date : 8/15(Sat) 19:00-21:00
Place : Lakeside of Lake Suwa, Suwa City, Nagano
Access: 8 mins walk from Kamisuwa Sta. on JR Chuo Line.
At 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-tobelieve
two kilometers
long "Niagara" brighten
up the sky.
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Date: 8/2(Sun) 19:40-20:30
Place: Karasugawa Wada bridge Riverside, Takasaki City, Gunma
Access: 20 mins walk from Takasaki Sta. on JR Shinakansen or Takasaki Line.
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 spectacle
from the vantage point of
Mt. Takasaki-Kannon.
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Photo by: Shinshu-Nagano Prefectural Tourism Association |
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| 7. Atami Sea Fireworks Festival (MAP 7) |
8. Nagaoka Fireworks Festival (MAP 8) |
Date: 7/26(Sun), 7/30(Thu), 8/5(Wed), 8/9(Sun), 8/20(Thu), 8/23(Sun), 8/29(Sat) 20:20-20:55
Place: Around Atami Bay
Access: 15 mins walk from JR Atami Sta.
Visitors can enjoy 5,000 fireworks
during this dynamic pyrotechnic
celebration. Atami City is justly
famed for 'Onsen' - medicinal,
health promoting hot-springs. Here
clients can enjoy evening fireworks
shows as well as a relaxing 'onsen'.
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Date: 8/2(Sun), 8/3(Mon) 19:25-21:20
Place: Shinano Riverside, Nagaoka City, Niigata
Access: 20 mins walk from JR Nagaoka Sta. on JR Shinkansen Line
One of the three biggest Japanese
fireworks festivals marks its 100
year anniversary. Special
fireworks named "Phoenix" to
wish for the successful revival of
the area from the devastating
earthquake of five years ago will
be featured. "Tenchijin fire
works", named after the novel-
NHK Taiga drama, will be set off
for 2 consecutive days this year.
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Photo Provided by WAO |
| 9. Katakai Fireworks Festival (MAP 9) |
10. Sumida River Fireworks Festival (MAP 10) |
Date: 9/9(Wed), 9/10(Thu) 19:30-22:20
Place: at the back of Asahara Shrine, Katakai-machi, Ojiya City, Niigata
Access: 10 mins walk from Katagai-shisho stop after 30 mins by City bus from JR Ojiya Sta.
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.
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Date: 7/25(Sat) 19:00-20:30
Place 1: between Sakura-bashi and Kototoi-bashi
Place 2: between Komagata-bashi and Umaya-bashi
Access: To Place 1: 15 mins walk from Asakusa subway Sta. To Place 2: 5 mins walk from Kuramae subway Sta.
This festival has 21,500 fireworks, the largest number set off in Tokyo. The
narrowness of the Sumida River and high buildings restrict the fireworks'
size; therefore, the pyrotechnicians must take this fact into consideration
and use appropriately sized fireworks. In the eyes of onlookers, the result
is a smaller, but equally beautiful and thrilling display.
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Photo by: Ojiya City Tourist Association |
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| 11. Tsuchiura National Japan Fireworks Competition (MAP 11) |
12. Matsushima Lanterns and Fireworks Festival (MAP 12) |
Date: 10/4(Sat) 18:00-20:30 (Scheduled)
Place: Sakura Riverside, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki
Access: 30 mins walk from Tsuchiura Sta. on JR Joban Line
Since 1925, this has been 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.
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Date: 8/17(Mon) 19:00-20:30
Place: Around Matsushima Bay, Matsushima-cho, Matsushima-gun, Miyagi
Access: 5 mins walk from Matsushima-Kaigan Sta. on JR Senseki Line
This traditional event is well-known
for the multitudes of lanterns that
have been floated for the past 700
years on the rivers, lakes and sea.
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.
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Photo by: Ibaraki Pref. Tsuchiura City Public Relation Section |
Photo by: Miyagi Pref. Tourism Division |
| 13. Omagari National Japan Fireworks Competition (MAP 13) |
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Date: 8/22(Sat) 18:50-21:40
Place: Omono Riverside, Daisen City, Akita
Access: 25 mins. walk from Omagari Sta.on JR Akita Shinkansen Line
One of the top firework maker
competitions in Japan. The public
comes from all over the country to
view the big, breathtaking
fireworks. Only Japan's best 30
firework makers are entitled to
participate in the competition to
show their fireworks created with all
their magic.
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Summer is a lovely time of the year and, of course, the best period to
view fireworks. Japanese fireworks are without doubt an elaborate
and magnificent art, even though a dangerous one for the masters
who fabricate the many varieties of colored bursts that thrill onlookers.
Pyrotechnics in Japan have a long history as they've been enjoyed
for several hundreds of years. Manufacturing techniques, power and
height have improved tremendously with many new types of colorful
bursts and rockets lighting up the sky. Visitors to Japan are invited to
enjoy a splendid evening watching Japanese fireworks displays.