Things to do in Saitama Prefecture, Kanto: The Best Seasonal Fireworks

At the Kumagaya Firework Festival fireworks display, 10,000 rockets are sent into the air. They explode over the Arakawa river, beside the peaceful greens of Kumagayaarakawa Ryokuchi park and Arakawa park. The hot Saitama summer makes for a wonderful evening of light.

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.

Kawagoe has a beautifully scenic cityscape that is likened to old Edo for the way it preserves views of traditional Japan. This fireworks festival is held each summer. Different configurations of fireworks illuminate the night sky, some 6,000 in total. There are also "message fireworks," where congratulatory messages to recipients are read before the firework ignites. There are special paid VIP seats for families or groups to use for a more relaxing, intimate way to see the show. The event is held at different locations each year, but it is always sure to get crowded, so you are best to use public transit.

A fireworks festival that takes place around the Koshigaya Central Community Center and the banks of the Kasai Irrigation Channel. A rich variety of 5,000 complex fireworks are shot off in rapid succession, barely leaving you time to "ooh" or "aah." They are launched off from the center of the channel and can be viewed from either side. The fireworks also go off relatively close to the ground, so you can see them in dazzling detail. Lots of stalls plying various wares line the streets -- it's festival time!

10,000 Fireworks will be launched at the "Ageo Fireworks Festival," an exciting fireworks display ranging from No. 3 Fireworks to Star Mines to 100 rounds or more of Star Mines. In addition, by pay the specified amount as a sponsor, you can sign up for "message fireworks," with messages such as "happy birthday" and "wedding celebration" read aloud at the time of launch. Adding to the fun are many stalls that will open for the event.

The history of the Yorii Tamayodo Suitengu Festival stretches back to 1931 when it was established as a way to ward against floods, childhood disease, and problems during childbirth. Known as the foremost water festival in the Kansai region, it attracts numerous visitors each year. The crowning event is a fireworks display that includes a 130m-tall "Niagara Falls" display as well as star mines and various other types of fireworks. The brilliance of the fireworks lighting up the night sky behind traditional Japanese floats decorated with paper lanterns is a magical sight.

The fireworks used in this October festival are handmade by the Konosu City Society of Commerce and Industry's youth group, and will be set off from the Nukata Athletic Field as well as from the banks of the Ara River. The grand total of 15,000 fireworks will include 300 30cm shells fired in quick succession as well as 120cm and 90cm shells. The best seats for viewing can be reserved for a fee and there are also picnic sections that seat 1, 2, or 4 people, sections where you can set up your own chairs, as well as paid seats that offer the best location for photographers.

It is said that when a retainer raised lanterns in memory of Matsudaira Naritsune, Governor of Yamato and lord of Kawagoe Castle, this spread to the castle town, and this evolved into a festival of elaborately decorated lanterns. It was suspended for a period but revived in 1957. Centered round the old-fashioned warehouse buildings that line the streets of central Kawagoe, the whole town is decorated with colorful lanterns. During the festival period, in addition to events such as a historical parade, stage performances of music and dance, there is also a variety of crowded stalls. In this festival you can enjoy the atmosphere of the emotionally rich town they call Little Edo Kawagoe.