The Ultimate 2025 Fireworks Guide for Japan-Bound Travelers🎇
Coming to Japan this summer? These are the Hanabi shows you won’t want to miss.
Every summer, I can hear it: the deep, echoing boom of hanabi (fireworks) shaking the sky. Not just the sound—but the size, the scale, the way it fills the night with color and power.
Japanese fireworks are on a whole other level—grand, majestic, artistic, emotional, and carefully choreographed.
If you're visiting Japan this summer, open your calendar—you might just be near one of these unforgettable displays.
⚠️ But here’s the thing:
If you don’t prepare properly, you might not even see the fireworks.
In my next post for paid subscriber, I’ll be sharing some tips on how to reserve spots, avoid crowds, and find hidden hanabi gems across Japan. Don't miss it.
🎇 Japan’s Top 10 Must-See Fireworks (2025 Edition)
There are fireworks almost every night somewhere in Japan during summer. From small-town riversides to grand city skylines, each one carries a unique mood—but here, I’ve selected the very best. Each one represents the peak of Japanese firework artistry.
1. Ōmagari National Fireworks Competition (📍 Akita | 📅 August 30)
This is where the masters of Hanabi go to prove themselves. Ōmagari isn’t a festival—it’s a battle of pyrotechnic artistry. Japan’s top hanabi creators gather to launch both daytime and nighttime fireworks, judged for precision, originality, and beauty. Set beside a peaceful riverbed, it’s a powerful contrast: soft countryside, and the sharp brilliance of cutting-edge fireworks lighting up the night.
2. Nagaoka Fireworks Festival (📍 Niigata | 📅 August 2–3)
There’s a reason this is one of Japan’s most beloved hanabi shows. What began as a memorial for the air raid victims of WWII has become a breathtaking tribute to peace, rebirth, and community. The Shinano River becomes the canvas for Sanjakudama shells that bloom 650 meters wide, and the emotionally charged Phoenix Fireworks stretches across the night sky with a hopeful roar. It’s not just beautiful—it’s moving.
3. Tsuchiura National Fireworks Competition (📍 Ibaraki | 📅 November 1)
One of the last major fireworks events of the year, Tsuchiura holds a special place in the hanabi world. Pyrotechnicians unveil new designs here—techniques that have never been seen before. This results in a show full of surprises and innovation, with each firework a masterpiece in the making.
4. Yodogawa Fireworks Festival (📍 Osaka | 📅 October 18)
Since I was born and raised in Osaka, I have been visiting this fireworks almost every year. Launched from barges on the Yodo River, fireworks thunder into the sky while the city skyline shimmers in the background. The river’s surface reflects every burst, doubling the drama. It’s loud, fast, and electric—just like the city itself.
5. Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival (📍 Tokyo | 📅 July 26)
This is Tokyo’s classic hanabi, with roots stretching back to the Edo period. Held along the Sumida River near Asakusa, it draws nearly a million spectators each year. What makes it stand out is its twin displays: two shows launched simultaneously on either side of the river. It’s one of the most atmospheric summer nights you can experience in the capital—historic, massive, and alive with energy.
6. Chikugo River Fireworks Festival (📍 Fukuoka | 📅 August 5)
This is the Kyushu’s biggest fireworks show takes place along the wide Chikugo River, where over 15,000 fireworks light up the sky in a nonstop 90-minute display. The riverbanks fill with yukata-clad locals, food stalls, and music. There’s a nostalgic, community feeling here—a perfect blend of festival warmth and technical spectacle.
7. Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival (📍 Fukuoka & Yamaguchi | 📅 August 13)
Few festivals are as geographically striking as this one. Fireworks are launched simultaneously from both the Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi) and Moji (Fukuoka) sides of the Kanmon Straits, creating a friendly cross-strait competition. The result is a panoramic dance of light above the sea, viewed from boats or either shoreline. It feels like two cities trying to outdo each other—in the best possible way. I haven’t visited this firework yet, but this is in my bucket list!
8. Suwako Lake Fireworks Festival (📍 Nagano | 📅 August 15)
Nestled among Nagano’s surrounding mountains, Lake Suwa becomes a natural amphitheater for one of Japan’s most immersive firework experiences. The sound of each burst echoes across the lake and through the valleys, amplifying the drama. Highlights include the massive “Niagara Falls” fireworks that sweep across the water like a curtain of silver.
9. Biwako Fireworks Festival (📍 Shiga | 📅 August 8)
Set on the shores of Japan’s largest lake, Biwako’s festival is known for its underwater fireworks—explosions that seem to rise from the depths in glowing arcs. Combined with sky-high bursts and the vast water backdrop, it creates an almost dreamlike, floating spectacle.
10. Ise Shrine National Fireworks Competition (📍 Mie | 📅 July 19)
This isn’t just a fireworks show—it’s a spiritual experience. Held near Japan’s most sacred Shinto shrine, Ise, the hanabi here are quiet in their elegance. Every burst feels intentional, poetic, and almost ceremonial. If you want a fireworks display that blends artistic grace with cultural reverence, this one is unforgettable.
Are you planning a trip to Japan during one of these events? Or do you have friends who are?
Have you ever experienced hanabi (fireworks) in Japan? Or maybe this just made you want to?
Drop a comment below—whether you're visiting Japan this summer or just want to share your thoughts!
🔒 For Paid Subscribers Only: Coming Next
If you want to actually see these fireworks and not get lost in the crowds…
In the next post for paid subscribers, I’ll share:
🎟️ How to get reserved seats for major festivals
🗓️ Hidden, local-only firework events
🧺 What to bring & when to arrive
💬 Plus: Free 30-minute consult for paid subscribers who want help picking a hanabi near their Japan travel route
Fireworks are at a different artistic level in Japan. So beautiful. Thank You for the list.