The 52nd Takasaki Grand Fireworks Festival

Summary

Counted among the largest fireworks displays in northern Kanto, the Takasaki Grand Fireworks Festival returns for its 52nd edition on Saturday 22 August 2026 at the Karasugawa riverbed upstream of Wadabashi bridge in Takasaki, Gunma. Around 15,000 shells go up across roughly 50 minutes from 7:30 p.m. The date falls on the opening day of the Takasaki Festival, so dashi floats and portable shrines share the day with the fireworks, alongside the city's own giant daruma mikoshi and creative daruma mikoshi. The Motenashi Hiroba area adds 'Kaiun Takasaki Shokudo', tent stalls run by local restaurants, and JR Takasaki Station's west exit is only a 15-minute walk away — an easy pick for a first hanabi experience.

Overview

Closing the first evening of the Takasaki Festival, the Takasaki Grand Fireworks Festival reaches its 52nd edition on Saturday 22 August 2026. The venue, the Karasugawa riverbed upstream of Wadabashi bridge, lies about 15 minutes on foot from the west exit of JR Takasaki Station, with roughly 15,000 shells launched between 7:30 and 8:20 p.m. — a scale ranked among the largest in northern Kanto, with the broad riverbed giving plenty of room to take in whole displays. Because the matsuri runs the same day, you can enjoy dashi floats and portable shrines together with the fireworks; the giant daruma mikoshi and creative daruma mikoshi are especially distinctive to Takasaki, a city famous for daruma dolls. The Motenashi Hiroba area hosts tent stalls by local restaurants under the banner 'Kaiun Takasaki Shokudo'. With the festival as a whole expected to draw around 950,000 visitors, plan for crowds: aim to arrive two to three hours before the start, expect free-spot competition from early afternoon and busy riverside walkways. There is no parking at the venue, so come by public transport, and the walking route from the station's west exit also gets congested. Buy paid seats in advance, carry extra small bills for the cash-first stalls, and note tripods may be restricted in paid seating. Check the official website for the latest details.

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