Things to do in Atami, Chubu: The Best Events

The Atami Fireworks are unique in Japan, in that they take place once every season rather than once a year. Shot off over Atami Bay, spectators watch from the beachfront along the waterway, sharing picnics and marveling at the bursts of color. Especially lauded is Atami's aquatic themed rocket, used in the Grand Finale: the "Aerial Niagara Fall".

The Atami Baien (Plum Garden), opened in 1886, contains 472 trees of 59 varieties, including some plum trees over 100 years old. They bloom in various stages, with early, middle, and late bloomers. This means you can enjoy the plum blossoms in bloom at any time during the blooming season. Further, Atami's plums are considered to be the earliest-blooming in Japan. During the Ume Blossom Festival, special footbaths are installed in the garden and souvenir shops open, with various different events being held each day.

The Kogashi Festival Dashi Contest is held as part of the annual festival at Kinomiya Shrine (Kogashi Festival). Thirty wood-carved and creatively ornamented festival floats gather on National Route 135, which is closed to traffic, and parade as each gives its own musical performance. Each neighborhood is judged, and the neighborhood with the highest point total wins.

Himenosawa Park where this flower festival is held is designated as one of Japan's 100 urban preservation parks. Visitors are greeted by the name "Himenosawa" spelled out on the slope of a mountain by roughly 60,000 azaleas in peak bloom. The flower festival not only offers the sight of flowers in full bloom, but also a wide variety of restaurants and events that include the hanging of carp streamers.