Arai Suwa Shrine Dedication Fireworks Festival

Summary

The Arai Suwa Shrine Dedication Fireworks Festival is held in the Arai district of Kosai City, Shizuoka, on Saturday, July 25, 2026 — a hand-tube fireworks rite known since the mid-Edo period as the 'strange festival of the Kaido'. As flutes, drums and conch shells resound, dozens of hand-held tubes fire columns of sparks at once, with 1,000 tubes planned in total. The Sarutahiko tubes rise to the chant 'Soradase! Daseyo!', performed in traditional form as part of a Shinto ritual, before a crowd of about 5,000. The venue, the Arai Junior High ground, is a 15-minute walk from JR Arai-machi Station; with no parking, public transport is the way in.

Overview

Continued as an offering to Arai Suwa Shrine, this rite is a different animal from an ordinary fireworks show. Over the sound of flutes, drums and conch shells, dozens of hand-tube fireworks stand in rows at once, and their bearers march with vigor through the falling sparks. The Sarutahiko tubes, called out with the chant 'Soradase! Daseyo!', send a heat that feels as though sparks might land on the spectator's chest, too. The rite is performed in traditional form as part of the shrine ritual, with the stated aim of passing the techniques and knowledge of hand-tube fireworks correctly to the next generation. A total of 1,000 tubes are planned, and attendance runs about 5,000. The venue — the Arai Junior High ground — is a 15-minute walk from JR Arai-machi Station. With no parking provided, coming by train is the practical route. Check the latest announcements from the organizer (Kosai City Arai Branch Office) for the schedule before setting out.

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