The Adachi Fireworks Festival is happening this Saturday – here’s what to expect

Fireworks season is here in Tokyo, whether it feels like it or not. Following last week’s Star Island display in Odaiba, Tokyoites are in for another pyrotechnic spectacle before the gloomy tsuyu (rainy season) begins. The Adachi Fireworks will light up the skies above the Arakawa River between Kitasenju and Umejima stations on May 30.

Let’s get the biggest concern out of the way first. With the past two editions cancelled due to adverse weather, checking the forecast is essential when planning your visit. The latest forecast for Adachi ward on Saturday May 30 predicts mostly clear skies with only a few afternoon clouds. According to TBS, there is also no forecast of cold air flowing in from above, meaning the likelihood of severe thunderstorms developing is low. Light southerly winds are expected, but they are unlikely to build into the strong gusts that led to last year’s cancellation. 

If anything can help bring this fireworks show to fruition, it might be the teru teru bozu dolls now appearing around the neighbourhood. Local businesses such as Lumine Kita-Senju are displaying the traditional charms, believed to ward off rain and bring sunshine.

Now that weather concerns are mostly out of the way, here’s our recommendation for where to watch the massive 300-metre-wide starmines and cascading Double Niagara fireworks without getting swallowed by the crowds: Head to the north riverbank via Umejima Station, where there tend to be fewer people, more toilets and more routes for leaving after the show. The north side is also more spacious than the south, stretching across multiple baseball fields and parking lots.

Be sure to arrive at the riverbank at least two hours early to set up your picnic spot before the fireworks begin. We especially recommend the Arakawa Nishiarai Bridge Green Space, a slightly more tucked-away and spacious viewing area that’s less than 25 minutes on foot from Umejima Station via a quieter neighbourhood route.

This beloved fireworks festival along the Arakawa River dates back more than 100 years to 1924, and this year 13,000 fireworks will be launched over the course of 60 minutes. So pack your picnic blankets and Strong Zeros and wear that yukata, cause baby, you’re a firework.

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