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Many summer fireworks in Tokyo this year have been cancelled – but not all. There’s one in Jingu Gaien on August 20, and a few more just outside the fringe of the city within the Greater Tokyo region. One of them is at Kawaguchiko, the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes, in Yamanashi prefecture.
The Kawaguchiko Kojo Matsuri summer festival takes place on Friday August 5, with a breathtaking hanabi show from 7.45pm to 9pm. The fireworks will be launched from the middle of the lake between the eastern shore and Kawaguchiko Bridge. The gigantic starmines will not only be reflected on the water’s surface but also synchronised to music.
For an up-close view, head to Oike Park or either one of these two shores – Funatsuhama and Hirahama. Between Oike Park and the Komagari Tunnel lakeside, dozens of food stalls will line the street, selling typical festival grub between 4pm and 9.30pm.
Pro tip: if it’s a clear night, make a beeline for the other side of the lake, around Nagasaki Park or Oishi Park. Here you’ll have an uninterrupted view of the fireworks, with the towering silhouette of Mt Fuji in the background.
The summer festivities around Lake Kawaguchiko continue the following weekend (August 13-14) with the Fujisan Fukko Noryo Matsuri. The festival site at Oike Park will be hosting stage performances, festival games and lots of food. The free event runs from 1pm to 8.30pm on both days.
Note that both festivals will be cancelled in case of stormy weather.
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