Here’s a list of the 2014 Summer Fireworks Festivals in Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Shiga and Wakayama. There’s a chance that the schedule might change according to the weather. In case of bad weather, most festivals are postponed till the next day. If the weather is bad on both days, the festival will be cancelled. Please see the HP for each event for details and the latest updates.
JULY 2014
Tenjin-Matsuri Fireworks Festival – Osaka
Date: July 25th, Friday, 2014 / Time: 7:30pm - 8:50pm / Number of Fireworks: 5,000
Photo from japanesesearch com
Location: Kawasaki Park, Sakuranomiya Park
Nearby Station: Sakuranomiya Station on JR (2 min. by foot), Tenmabashi Station on Keihan Railway or the Osaka Municipal Subway (5 min. by foot)
Feature: Enjoy the sight of 100 ships with bonfires under the fireworks. It’s the festival with the biggest number of spectators in the Kansai area.
For more information: Osaka Tenmangu TEL: 06-6353-0025 / Tenjin Matsuri Official HP: http://www.tenjinmatsuri.com/
Minato-Matsuri Fireworks Festival – Wakayama Prefecture
Date: July 27th, Sunday, 2014 / Time: 8:00pm-9:00pm (In case of postponement: July 30th 2014, Wednesday) / Number of Fireworks: 3,000
Photo from yakei-kabegami.com
Location: Wakayama Port, Nakafuto, 10,000 Ton Berth (Nishihama, Wakayama)
Nearby Station: Wakayamako Station on Nankai Railway (10 min. by foot)
Feature: A fireworks festival in Wakayama City, Wakayama Pref. that was started in order to pray for the port’s safety, and also to bring interest to the port itself.
For more information: Minato-Matsuri Fireworks Festival Executive Committee: http://w-hanabi.com/
AUGUST 2014
PL Art of Fireworks Festival – Osaka
Date: August 1st, Friday, 2014 / Time: 7:55pm-8:50pm (*Cancelled in case of rain) / Number of Fireworks: 20,000
Photo from yakei-kabegami.com
Location: KOKYU COUNTRY CLUB (2258-1 Shindo, Tondabayashi, Osaka)
Nearby Station: Tondabayashi Station on Kintetsu Nagano Line (20 min. by foot)
Feature: One of the biggest fireworks festivals in the world with 20,000 fireworks. It is a very unusual festival as it is a religious event of the Church of Perfect Liberty (PL). Paid seats are available. Kokyu Telephone service TEL: 0721-25-6422
For more information: PL Art of Fireworks: Voice Guidance TEL: 0721-25-0500
Minato Kobe Fireworks Festival – Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture
Date: August 2nd, Saturday, 2014 / Time: 7:30pm - 8:30pm (*No postponement in case of rain, Cancelled in case of storms) / Number of Fireworks: 10,000
Photo from yakei-kabegami.com
Location: Kobe Meriken Park ( 2 Hatoba-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe )
Nearby Station: Motomachi Station on JR or Hanshin Railway (15 min. by foot), Kobe Station on JR, Kosoku-Kobe Station on Hanshin Railway or Hankyu Railway (30 min. by foot)
Feature: A festival where you can see a collaboration of Kobe’s beautiful night view and the colorful fireworks shoot up from the bay in front of Kobe Meriken Park. Paid seats are available; 3,100 yen–3,600 yen / seat
For more information: Kobe City http://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/life/access/harbor/kankou/hanabi.html
Nagahama and Kita-Biwako Fireworks Festival – Shiga Prefecture
Date: August 5th, Tuesday, 2014 / Time: 7:30pm-8:30pm (*No postponement in case of light rain) / Number of Fireworks: 10,000
Photo from yakei-kabegami.com
Location: Offshore Nagahama Port (Minato-cho, Nagahama, Shiga)
Nearby Station: Nagahama Station on JR (10 min. by foot)
Feature: The fireworks not only shoot up into the sky but also side to side above Lake Biwa. A gigantic, golden willow firework will take your breath away. The fireworks mirrored in the lake is also beautiful.
Paid seats are available; 1,500 yen – 2,500 yen per person (Tickets will be sold on that day only if there are any seats left)
For more information: Kohoku Tourist Information Center http://kitabiwako.jp/ (English, Japanese) / Nagaoka City (Tourism Dpt.): TEL: 0749-62-4111
Kameoka Hozugawa Fireworks Festival – Kyoto
Date: August 7th, Thursday, 2014 / Time: 8:00pm- (* In case of bad weather, postponed till Aug. 9th, Sat. After that, postponed until a possible date.) / Number of Fireworks: 5,000
Photo from pds.exblog.jp
Location: Hozu-cyo, Kameoka, Kyoto Nearby Station: Kameoka Station on JR (15 min. by foot)
Feature: You can see very artistic fireworks, such as ones with special commendations. Paid seats are available.
For more information: The Kameoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry: TEL: 0771-22-0053 http://www.kameokacci.or.jp
Lake Biwa Big Fireworks Festival – Shiga Prefecture
Date: August 8th, Friday, 2014 / Time: 7:30pm - 8:30pm (*No postponement in case of light rain / Postponed to Aug. 11th Mon. in case of bad weather) / Number of Fireworks: 10,000
Photo from yakei-kabegami.com
Location: Near Lake Biwa around Otsu Port, Nagisa Park, Ojiyama-Undo Koen, Ojiyama Rikujo Kyogijo (athletics stadium), etc.
Nearby Station: ●Near Lake Biwa around Otsu Port, Nagisa Park, etc. Otsu Station or Zeze Station on JR Biwako Line (15 min. by foot), Hamaotsu Station on Keihan Railway (5 min. by foot) ●Ojiyama-Undou Koen, Ojiyama-Rikujo Kyogijo, etc. Otsukyo Station on JR Kosei Line (10 min. by foot)
Feature: A festival that will be held at Lake Biwa, the heart of Shiga Pref. With 10,000 fireworks and gigantic fireworks being the main attraction. Paid seats are available. Tickets are sold starting from July 1st, 2014 (Tues.) and are 3,900 yen – 4,400 yen / seat.
For more information: Biwako Visitors Bureau: TEL: 077-511-1530 / Email: mail@biwako-visitors.jp / http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/hanabi/
Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival – Osaka
Date: August 9th, Saturday, 2014 / Time: 7:50pm - 8:40pm (*postponed to Aug. 10th (Sun.) in case of bad weather) / Number of Fireworks: (Unknown)
Photo from yakei-kabegami.com
Location: 1-9-17 Oyodo-Kita, Kita-ku, Osaka / The riverbed between Shin-midosuji, Yodogawa Tekkyo and Route 2 downstream.
Nearby Station: ●Juso Site: Mitejima Station on JR Tozai Line, Himejima Station on Hanshin Railway, Minamikata Station or Juso Station on Hankyu Railway, Tsukamoto Station on JR, Nishinakajima-Minamigata Station on subway
●Oyodo Site: Umeda Station on Hankyu Railway, Noda Hanshin Station on Sennichimae Line of the Osaka Municipal Subway, Noda Station on Hanshin Railway, Osaka Station on JR, Umeda Station on the Osaka Municipal Subway subway, Ebie Station on JR Tozai Line
Feature: A festival held at the Yodogawa river near Osaka station, with 10,000 fireworks and star-mines (a rapid-fire series of fireworks)
Paid seats are available. Tickets are sold starting from July 1st, 2014 (Tues.) and are 2,900 yen – 16,000 yen / seat. TEL: 06-6307-7765 (24H Voice Guidance)
For more information: Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival Official HP: http://www.yodohanabi.com/
Uji River Fireworks Festival – Kyoto
Date: August 11th, Monday, 2014 / Time: 7:45pm - 8:45pm (*Postponed to Aug. 14th , Thurs. in case of bad weather) / Number of Fireworks: 7,000
Photo from k-kabegami.com
Location: Uji Koen Nakanoshima, on the banks of Uji River
Nearby Station: Uji Station on Keihan, Uji Station on JR (10 min. by foot)
Feature: It’s a very Kyoto-like festival with creative fireworks like purple star-mines (rapid-fire series of fireworks) created after Murasaki Shikibu (the author of the Genji Monogatari) or the “Niagra in the sky” which is fireworks made to look literally like the Niagra.
Paid seats are available; 2,500 yen – 5,500 yen / seat TEL: 0744-23-3334
For more information: Uji River Fireworks Festival Official HP: http://www.ujihanabi.jp/
Yoshino River Matsuri NOHRYO Fireworks Festival – Nara Prefecture
Date: August 15th, Friday, 2014 / Time: 8:00pm - 9:00pm / Number of Fireworks: 4,000
Photo from colum.main.jp
Location: Gojo City, Okawahashi riverbed
Nearby Station: Gojo Station on JR Wakayama Line (10 min. by walk)
Feature: A festival popular for the very entertaining fireworks and laser beams collaborating with music.
For more information: Gojo City Tourist Association: http://www.gojo.ne.jp/g-kanko / Yoshino River Matsuri Executive Committee Office: 0747-22-4001
Inagawa Fireworks Festival – Osaka
Date: August 16th, Saturday, 2014 / Time: 7:20pm-8:30pm / Number of Fireworks: 4,000
Photo from yakei-kabegami.com
Location: on the banks of Inagawa River, Ikeda City, Osaka
- Ikeda City Site: 1 or 2 Momozono, Ikeda, Osaka
- Kawanishi City Site: on the banks of the Inagawa river near 2 Obana or 1 Shitakamo, Kawanishi, Hyogo
Nearby Station: Ikeda Station or Kawanishi Noseguchi Station on Hankyu Railway (10 min. by foot), Kawanishi Ikeda Station on JR (15 min. by foot)
Feature: A festival held together by Ikeda City, Osaka Pref. and Kawanishi City, Hyogo Pref.
For more information: Ikeda City Tourism Association: http://www.ikedashi-kanko.jp/
Itami Fireworks Festival – Hyogo Prefecture
Date: August 23rd, Saturday, 2014 / Time: 8:00pm - 9:00pm / Number of Fireworks: 3,500
Photo from blogs.c.yimg.jp
Location: Inagawa River, Kamitsu Ohashi, south riverbed (Kuragafuchi, Kuchisakai, Itami, Hyogo)
Nearby Station: Itami Station on JR (10min. by foot), Itami Station on Hankyu Railway (20 min. by foot)
Feature: A festival that can be seen from Itami Airport. You can see exhibition fireworks and also the golden willow fireworks.
For more information: Itami City, Itami Fireworks Festival Executive Committee Office: TEL: 072-784-8047 http://www.city.itami.lg.jp/ (Eng, Chi, Kor, Jpn)