The 39th Tonegawa Grand Fireworks Festival

Summary

Sakai's riverside park on the Tone riverbed hosts one of Kanto's biggest autumn displays on September 19: about 30,000 shells over two hours from 18:30, fired in relay by four acclaimed makers whose shelves include awards from Japan's national fireworks championships. Reserved seating and a 4,000-space advance-reservation parking system underpin a crowd of roughly 300,000 that turns this small border town into a festival ground for a single night.

Overview

The venue sits far from any rail station, so driving or an organized tour is the practical choice. From the Ken-O Expressway Sakai-Koga IC it is only 3.5 kilometers, but organizers warn the exit can take up to three hours on event day, with traffic controls around the site. The roughly 4,000 parking spaces run on advance reservation through the Nokisaki system — watch for sell-outs and cutoffs, ideally pairing a space with a reserved viewing seat. Four makers rotate through the two hours, so wide starmaines and music-linked sequences alternate with restive pauses; reserved seats face the river directly. Launches run 18:30-20:30, and return traffic lingers for hours, so keep the next morning light. Organizer contact: Sakai Town Tourism Association, 0280-81-1319.

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