7 best fireworks festivals in and near Tokyo this summer

This spectacular fireworks display takes place in Sakura, Chiba prefecture, which is around 90 minutes from Tokyo. It's definitely worth the journey to see a staggering 18,000 fireworks set off on Saturday August 5.

The Sakura Citizen Fireworks Festival takes place at Lake Inbanuma next to Sakura Furusato Square, which is famous for its windmill. The event starts at 7pm with handheld tezutsu hanabi fireworks before the main fireworks display from 7.20pm to 8.30pm.

It’s possible to watch the fireworks for free from nearby areas, but we recommend buying tickets to get the best views. A ticket for the standing area is ¥1,000 and reserved seating is ¥2,000 per person. Table seating for up to four people starts from ¥12,000 and there are also boxes that can seat up to five people from ¥20,000. Tickets are available online now.

Take a trip to Kawaguchiko in Yamanashi prefecture for the Kawaguchiko Kojo Matsuri summer festival, which takes place on Saturday August 5. You'll be able to see fireworks 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.

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.

Just over 30 minutes from Shinagawa Station on the shinkansen, the hot spring town of Atami in Shizuoka is an ideal weekend getaway. The coastal resort is also widely known for its massive fireworks shows, and there will be six happening throughout summer.

The fireworks are launched from Atami Bay, so you’ll get the best views along the coastline between Sun Beach and Atami Port. Being partially surrounded by mountains, Atami Bay’s mortar-like terrain helps create an acoustic effect similar to that of a large stadium.

The fireworks festivals take place on July 28 as well as August 5, 8, 18, 22 and 25, from 8.20pm to 8.45pm.