What to do and see in Aichi Prefecture, Chubu: The Best Seasonal Fireworks

Held every year on August 15th during Obon, this festival was founded to comfort the souls of those who died in natural disasters, fell in battle, or drowned in the Yahagi River. As sutras are chanted and incense is burnt, approximately 2,000 Buddhist lanterns are floated on the river. The ensuing fireworks display lasts for an hour and features about 3,000 fireworks, lighting up the river together with the lanterns. The fireworks are set off from sandbars along the river, and watching the display at such close range-150 meters, soaring right up above you-makes for a spectacular visual and tactile experience.

This huge fireworks festival is held every summer in Toyota, Aichi as the finale to the Toyota Oiden Matsuri. Approximately 13,000 multicolored fireworks are launched from Shirahama Park along the banks of the Yahagi River, dazzling the sky in tune to music. The display features numerous high points, such as a "Niagara Falls" firework display and a spectacular display from the Japan Fireworks Artists Association. This extravaganza has received high marks and widespread popularity from locals, fireworks fans, and experts alike.

Also known as the "Nihon Line," this fireworks festival is held along the picturesque Kiso River. About 3,000 starmines and other fireworks make for a dazzlingly colorful display against the night sky-together with the nearby presence of the illuminated Inuyama Castle, they create a spectacle like none other. The venue is easily accessed from public transportation hubs: it's right near Inuyama-Yuen Station and an eight-minute walk from the JR Unuma Station. Traffic is restricted near the event venue, so public transportation is the best choice.

This firework display is held every summer in Oike Park in Chuo, Aichi. This elaborate production sees 4,000 fireworks dazzle the night skies annually. The very-popular grandstands are located close to the site where the fireworks are launched, so viewers can enjoy the full impact of the display. You can also lie down on the park grass to watch the show. The second half of the program features rapid bursts of starmine fireworks right up to the finale, building to a spectacular climax. Festival stalls are lined up along the roads surrounding the venue, patronized by bustling crowds of festivalgoers clad in yukata.

Located in the heart of Kasugai City, relaxing Ochiai Park has been named one of Japan's Top 100 City Parks. It is here, on a weekend in late September, that the Kasugai City Citizens Noryo Festival is held. The festival includes a variety of events, from a Bon Odori dance that draws crowds of children & adults alike to a full array of street stalls offering a diverse assortment of cuisine. In the evening, about 3,500 fireworks light up the night sky to the delight of the festivalgoers below.