
Tenkuu de HANABI - A powerful starmine launched all at once
Autopolis, a racing circuit set at roughly 800 meters above sea level in the mountains of Hita, Oita, hosts one of Japan's highest-elevation fireworks nights on September 26, 2026. The bowl-shaped grandstands let you watch some shells burst at eye level and others spread high overhead, with about 10,000 launches filling the whole valley sky. A truck festival runs on site the same day, and the entertainment has included police-motorcycle drills and drift demonstrations.
There is no practical train access: plan on about 60 minutes by car from the Hita interchange on the Oita Expressway, and note that a separate parking pass is required alongside your ticket—check the official site for current details. Tickets are advance-only, with no same-day sales, through Lawson, CN Play Guide, Jalan and similar outlets; options include reserved seats and reclining-chair viewing. Gates open at 14:00, and food and merchandise stalls fill the afternoon before the scheduled 19:00–20:00 launch. If storms roll in, the launch itself is cancelled. One tip the listings understate: at 800 meters the evening gets genuinely cool even in late September, so bring a layer. The circuit's elevated stands give every seat a view down into the valley, and the sound systems carry the music clear across the bowl.