When I think of summer in Japan, aside from sticky heat and screaming cicadas, I think of festivals. Fireworks festivals. I’m reminded of spreading out a tarp and arranging myself around it with friends or family, passing around snacks and waving a hand fan back and forth as the loudspeakers crackle to announce the start of the bright-colored designs in the sky. The smells of noodles and other goodies on the grill, crepe batter being carefully laid out on a griddle, and sweet cotton candy mingle with smoke from the fireworks as the night goes by.
As I mentioned in last week’s column, fireworks festivals, or hanabi taikai (花火大会), are one of the “must do” summer activities in Japan. Most are held between July and September and they can be found all over the country, from large city events to smaller neighborhood affairs.
For the big festivals, people will often go early to parks or open spaces to reserve spots with tarps near the area where the fireworks will be set off. Most of the larger shows have paid seating in the best location for watching the display, although these are usually pre-sold and difficult to get without knowing some Japanese.
Most events will have, at least, but often more than, one line of food stalls with various snacks, as I mentioned last week, and beverages floating in ice-filled coolers or wide buckets. Vending machines can be found almost everywhere, but beware the possibility of some selling out of water before the show ends.
If you attend a fireworks festival and you’re feeling up to trying something traditional, you might want to fancy yourself up, Japanese-festival style, by wearing a yukata. Walking around the main festival areas you might come across guys and gals in these light cotton robes, somewhat similar to a kimono, but better suited for the summer heat. And if they’re wearing yukata, they’re also probably clip-clopping along in geta, an elevated wooden sandal that looks something like a flip-flop in a more rectangular shape.
Other than wearing your Japanese outfit and making sure you have enough change for yummy festival snacks, you should bring a tarp or blanket to sit on (preferably something waterproof, in case the grass is damp). If you go early, pack a cooler with some water, snacks and possibly dinner. Granted, you probably won’t go hungry at a festival, but if you want vegetables or anything like that aside from grilled corn, you’ll want to bring your own.
You also might appreciate having a hand fan (plastic ones are often handed out at train stations for free) and some bug spray, as the mosquitoes get excited at dusk. A sweat towel (small hand towel) will come in handy, and I recommend carrying extra toilet paper or tissues in case the portable toilets run out (it happens…), along with some hand sanitizer.
So how do you find a fireworks festival? There is some information in English about some of the bigger festivals in Japan, particularly in Tokyo and the other primary tourist areas, but if you’re looking for more options, or want to try your hand at Japanese, I recommend searching one of the virtual fireworks festival calendars, which list events by prefecture and city and are more comprehensive than most of the information I have seen in English. You can learn how to do this here.
For those of you who have no experience with Japanese whatsoever, I’ve listed just a few of the many popular fireworks festivals in Japan.
This list is a compilation of information from sites in Japanese, English, and the recommendations of others, meaning most of it is subjective, but based on popular opinions. I’ve intentionally included names in Japanese so you can search for more information. Some have English information, but most don’t. Some dates or times are tentative, and if it rains, the events will either be postponed or canceled. The rainy day dates can be found in Japanese.
Many of these will be crowded and people will go early to reserve spots, especially in the bigger cities and for the more popular events.
Aichi
Okazaki Fireworks
岡崎観光夏まつり 花火大会
Saturday, August 4, 2012
(tentative) 6:50 pm to 9:00 pm
Along the Oto River and Yahagi River, Okazaki city. Near JR Higashi Okazaki station.
Toyoda Fireworks
豊田おいでんまつり 花火大会
Sunday, July 29, 2012
7:10 pm to 9:00 pm
Shirahama Park, Toyoda city. Near Aichi Kanjyou Train Line Shin-Toyoda station.
Akita
Omagari Fireworks Festival
全国花火競技大会「大曲の花火」
Saturday, August 25, 2012
(day) 5:00 pm to 5:45 pm (night) 6:50 pm to 9:30 pm
On the west bank of the Omono River.
Fukuoka
Western Japan Ohori Fireworks
西日本大濠花火大会
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
8:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Ohori Park. Fukuoka city subway, Ohorikoen Station.
Gifu
Nagaragawa Fireworks
全国選抜長良川中日花火大会
Saturday, July 28, 2012
(day) 9:00 am – 7:10 pm (night) 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm
Along the Nagara River between Nagara Bridge and Kinka Bridge, Gifu city. Buses from Meitetsu Saitama Station or JR Saitama station.
Hiroshima
Miyajima Fireworks
宮島水中花火大会
Saturday, August 11, 2012
7:50 pm to 8:50 pm
Just offshore of the torii for Itsukushima shrine. Near JR Miyajimaguchi station (ferry).
Hokkaido
Doshin / UHB Fireworks
道新・UHB花火大会
Friday, July 27, 2012
7:40 pm to 8:40 pm
Along Toyohira River in Sapporo city. Near subway Horohirabashi station or Hananoshima station.
Ibaraki
Tsuchiriura Fireworks
土浦全国花火競技大会
First Saturday in October
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Shuttle bus from JR Tsuchiura station. Near the Gakuenoo Bridge, Tsuchiura city.
Kanagawa
Kanagawa Shimbun Fireworks
神奈川新聞花火大会
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
7:15 pm to 8:30 pm
Near Minato Mirai in Yokohama.
Kamakura Fireworks
鎌倉花火大会
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Yuigahama Coast, Zaimokuza Coast. Kamakura city.
Atsugi Ayu Fireworks Festival
あつぎ鮎まつり花火大会
Saturday, August 4, 2012
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Atsugi city, at the point where Sagami River, Nakatsu River, and Koayu River meet. Near JR Hon-Atsugi Station.
Kobe (Hyogo prefecture)
Minato Kobe Fireworks
みなとこうべ海上花火大会
Saturday, August 4, 2012
7:40 pm to 8:30 pm
Meriken Park, near JR Motomachi Station. Kobe city.
Mie
Ise Shrine Fireworks
伊勢神宮奉納全国花火大会
Saturday, July 14, 2012
(tentative) 7:25 pm to 9:15 pm
Miyagawa River, near JR Yamadakamiguchi station and Kintetsu Miyamachi station.
Miyagi
Sendai Tanabata Fireworks Festival
仙台七夕花火祭
Sunday, August 5, 2012
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Nishi Park in Sendai city. Near Hirosedori subway station.
Nagano
Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival
諏訪湖祭湖上花火大会
Monday, August 15, 2011
7:00 pm
Lake Suwa, Suwa city. Near JR Kamisuwa station.
Niigata
Nagaoka Fireworks Festival
長岡まつり 大花火大会
August 2 and 3, 2012
(tentative) 7:25 pm to 9:10 pm
Downstream from the Chousei Bridge, along Shinano River, near JR Nagaoka station.
Osaka
Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks
なにわ淀川花火大会
Saturday, August 4, 2012
7:50 pm to 8:40 pm
Area between the train bridge and Highway 2, along Yodo River.
Tenjin Festival/Fireworks
天神祭奉納花火
July 25, 2012
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Along Okawa (river), near Sakuranomiya Park, Kawasaki Park. JR Sakuranomiya station.
Shiga
Lake Biwa Fireworks
びわ湖大花火大会
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Around Lake Biwa, near JR Otsu and Zeze stations, Keihan Hamaotsu station.
Shizuoka
Fukuroi Enshu Fireworks
ふくろい遠州の花火
Saturday, August 11, 2012
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Haranoya Riverbed Shinmizu Park. There are a lot of parks and seating areas around the river. (I personally recommend Aino Park). Near JR Fukuroi and Aino stations, Fukuroi city.
Tokyo
Sumidagawa Fireworks
隅田川花火大会
Saturday, July 28, 2012
7:05 pm to 8:30 pm
Near JR Asakusa Station, along the Sumida River (other stations also nearby).
Tokyo Bay Fireworks
東京湾大華火祭
Saturday, August 11, 2012
7:00 pm to 8:20 pm
Central Ward, Tsukishima and Harumi area. Near Tokyo Metro stations Kachidoki, Tsukishima, and Toyosu.
Edogawa Fireworks
江戸川花火大会
Saturday, August 4, 2012
7:15 pm to 8:30 pm
Along the Edo River, at Shinozaki Park. Near JR Shinozaki station or JR Koiwa station
So, what is your favorite fireworks festival in Japan? What’s the best event in your prefecture? Let us know below!