Things to do in Kanto, Japan: The Best Seasonal Fireworks

This summer fireworks festival is organized by local volunteers under the banner of bringing local culture to children and revitalizing the local region. Revolving around special multi-stage fireworks, some 5,000 blasts light up the sky. The seats are in close proximity to where the fireworks go up, so you can see the show in vivid detail. A special treat is the fireworks that are dedicated to various people. Pop-up shops serving local cuisine appear around the venue, and bon-odori dances and music shows take place in advance of the main event.

This fireworks festival is held each summer in Toda City in the southeastern region of Saitama Prefecture. Located upstream of the Toda Bridge along the Ara River that flows through the city, visitors will be able to enjoy a total of 12,000 fireworks when combined with the Itabashi Fireworks Festival that will be held at the same time on the opposite shore. One feature of the Todabashi Fireworks Festival is the closeness between the place where the fireworks will be set off and the viewing area, allowing visitors to experience the full scale and sound of the pyrotechnics. The combination of large fireworks and star mines makes for a compelling program, and the giant star mines that constitute the finale are especially impressive.

A fireworks display that draws crowds of 410,000 or more people every year and is known as the tradition that decorates the summer night sky of Kashiwa and Abiko in Chiba Prefecture. At three venues in Kashiwa and Abiko, which surround Lake Teganuma, fantastic underwater fireworks, powerful Ultra-Jumbo Star Mines, and popular children's character fireworks are among the approximately 13,500 fireworks launched. Since the firework preferences vary at each launch venue, the unique fun of the "Teganuma Fireworks Display" is being able to sample the differences by moving from one location to another. There are also many stalls opened, centered around cheap and popular dishes.

This firework display takes place every August in Tateyama city, Chiba prefecture. Tateyama Bay is also known as Kagami ga Ura ("Mirror Inlet" in Japanese) because, with its gentle waves, it looks just like a mirror. The event sees 10,000 fireworks set off across the Hojo Coast on Tateyama Bay. The highlight is when number eight water fireworks, which are the biggest in the Kanto area, are set off over the surface of the water. You cannot miss the extra-large star mine, which appears within a sequence of 100 star mines large and small. On the day, there is a flamenco stage organized by students. As the fireworks begin, people at the venue simultaneously erupt into even greater excitement.

This firework display is held over the river bed of the Edo River, which flows along the border of Saitama prefecture. The highpoint of the event is the music and light performance called the Sky Musical. The appearance of message fireworks, which spell out messages before they launch, really stirs up the crowd. The fireworks are visible across the entire area of the river bed and the venue buzzes with people. The venue can be reached on foot from Nagareyama Station and Heiwadai Station. There is also a free shuttle bus from Nagareyama Central Park Station on the Tsukuba Express Line.

This fireworks show is held every summer downstream from the Kanko Bridge on the Omoi River-in Oyama in Tochigi Prefecture, a place with deep ties to the Tokugawa Shogunate. About 2,000 fireworks are launched to bloom beautifully in the night sky, including extra-large starmines and flurries of "shakudama"-style fireworks, and a "Niagara Falls"-style cascade display. The launch site is very close to the viewing area, making the combination of sound, light, and water even more impressive and delighting spectators. The day before the festival features an opening carnival with a variety of events.

This fireworks display is held every summer in the city of Toride in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, also known as a bedroom community for Tokyo. The event began more than 60 years ago to commemorate the opening of the Tone River Bridge. At the venue in Toride Ryokuchi Undo Park on the banks of the Tone River, roughly 7,000 fireworks are launched into the night sky over the grand Tone River, filling it with multicolored light and sound. The highlight of the display is the Niagara Falls, which pours down sparks from 20 meters in the air over a length of 300 meters. Viewers are dazzled by displays of long series of mortar shells and star mines bursting one after another.

This summer festival is held every early august in Tokai-mura in Ibaraki Prefecture. In 1979, the event started to promote better communication between new residents and local people. There are dance parade and a portable shrine with people playing Tokai drum, dancing, music performance, entertainment shows on the stage. There are street installers along with the Tokai Station Odori. The Tokai Festival Fireworks is held at the eve of the festival at Akogigaura Park. Approximately 4000 fireworks are launched into the night sky. The best highlight of the display is the 50 fireworks are launched at the same time. The spectacular star mines set the night sky ablaze with colors.

The "Kamisu Fireworks" are held at the track and field stadium of Gonoike Park, where approximately 5,000 star mines and other fireworks light up the dark Autumn sky. Other fun events are held before the fireworks even launch, including raffles, marching band performances and firework-related presents for kids.