
61st Sakaide Bridge Festival Maritime Fireworks Festival — Multicolored large firework blooms coloring the night sky
Now in its 61st year, Sakaide's summer fixture 'Sakaide Ohashi Matsuri' stages its marine fireworks on the night of the August 11 public holiday, best seen from the city's central pier. About 5,000 shells rise from a barge moored offshore, choreographed to music, while the illuminated Great Seto Bridge glows behind. Waves of large calibers — the show's biggest, the 10-gou shakudama, among them — come one after another, and the crowd numbers around 55,000.
The marine fireworks of the Sakaide Ohashi Festival, the city's summer fixture now in its 61st year, light up Sakaide Port on the August 11 public holiday. From the central pier, viewers watch about 5,000 shells rise from an offshore barge between 8:00 and 8:30 pm, timed to music, with the lit-up Great Seto Bridge standing behind. Because the launch is offshore, the illuminated bridge falls neatly into the background of the view. There is no parking around the venue, so visitors are directed to public transport — JR Sakaide Station is a 20-minute walk. Paid seating is available, and buying in advance is the reliable way to secure a spot.