The 59th Joso Kinugawa Fireworks Festival

Summary

Along the Kinugawa riverbank in Joso, Ibaraki, this September 12 gathering plays like a gala of Japan's leading firework houses: about 20,000 shells fill roughly 100 minutes from 18:05, centered on Hashimoto Sports Park. The program leans competitive — a music starmine by a maker with a Prime Minister's Prize record, plus a firework-art contest where makers' pieces go head to head — and its pulling power shows in the annual crowd of about 120,000.

Overview

The venue is a 15-minute walk from Mizukaido Station on the Kanto Railway, making train access unusually easy. Temporary parking (2,000-3,000 yen per car) exists but strictly by advance reservation, sold at 7-Eleven and FamilyMart counters or through CN Playguide; there is no free parking, and the organizers firmly recommend trains. Some areas prohibit umbrellas after entry even in rain, so pack rainwear, and check the official site for severe-weather handling. The 19:45 finish leaves room for a late dinner. The program also mixes in message fireworks submitted by the public and new kata-mono novelty shells, so the hundred minutes move quickly through moods. Because some 120,000 spectators pack the riverbank, arrive well before the 18:05 start for an open sightline near the sports park.

Details