9 best fireworks festivals in and near Tokyo this summer

Held every year for more than half a century along the Edogawa River, Katsushika's popular fireworks festival is known for the short distance between where the around 15,000 rockets are shot up and where onlookers are allowed to sit, allowing spectators to watch, listen and feel the fireworks up close.

It also features the spectacular 'Niagara Falls' and 'Digital Star Mine' crackers, both supposedly representing the latest in firework technology. On your way to the river, walk along the picturesque street reaching from Shibamata's Taishakuten temple and you'll get a taste of what Edo must have been like in summer.

Tokyo's biggest fireworks display is returning this summer on Saturday July 26. The Sumida River Fireworks Festival is also Japan's oldest fireworks event, dating back to 1733, when it was staged as part of a ceremony to pray for victims of a severe famine the previous year. It turned into an annual event in 1978 and attracts close to a million people every year.

This year, the Sumida River Fireworks Festival starts at 7pm and will run for around 90 minutes, with a staggering 20,000 shells of fireworks. The fireworks are launched from two sites on the Sumida River around Asakusa Station: one near Umaya Bridge and the other near Sakurabashi Bridge. You can check out the locations on the festival website.

It may not be the biggest of Tokyo's many fireworks events, but Tachikawa's hanabi is certainly one of the more comfortable ones. Held at the spacious Showa Kinen Park, the festival always draws massive crowds, so make sure to arrive early to secure the best viewing spot.

This year’s event will see around 5,000 shells of fireworks launched during the hour-long show from 7.15pm to 8.15pm. Paid seating with the best views will be sold online on a first come first served basis. (2025 reservation details have not been released.) 

On the day of the fireworks display, the park will open to the public free of charge.

This fireworks festival at Fujimori Park in Hachioji is returning this year on July 26 from 7pm. It’s a relatively small affair compared to other similar festivals in Tokyo, with around 4,000 rockets expected to be launched. However, what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for with an interesting array of explosions. The hour-long pyrotechnic show is free and you can watch the fireworks from several areas in the park – more details on the website.

Taking advantage of a serendipitous schedule clash, Itabashi's annual fireworks display takes place at the same time as the one in Toda City (Saitama prefecture), just across the Arakawa River. 

You can expect a combined 15,000 shells of fireworks at this 90-minute event. On show are various styles of pyrotechnics, including an enormous star mine and the spectacular ‘Niagara Falls’, a 700-metre chain of explosions that always draws the biggest cheers of the night. As a special treat this year, there will be giant Poké Ball and Captain Pikachu-themed fireworks, too.

While the event is free, you might want to secure a paid seat for the best views. These reserved seats range from ¥4,500 to ¥6,000 for single tickets and ¥18,000 to ¥48,000 for groups of four to eight people. You can make your bookings online from June 14. 

Yukata-clad spectators crowd the streets of Harajuku and Aoyama during the mesmerising Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival, a display that ranks as one of Tokyo's top summer festivals. Now in its 44th year, this edition of the event will boast 10,000 fireworks.

The cluster of sports stadiums to the south of Sendagaya Station offers the best vantage points, with paid seating available at Meiji Jingu Stadium and Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium. Ticket prices start from ¥7,000 for single seats at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium – more details here.

Alternatively, just wander around the surrounding area until you find somewhere you can see the action for free. The fireworks display lasts for one hour from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

In case of stormy weather, the festival will be postponed to August 17.