Written by TC Team
This is a great chance to see some of Japan’s best fireworks, outside of the summer festival context.
What happens?
This is a competitive display admired across the country. It features around 20,000 fireworks.
Held on the Sakuragawa Riverside in the Gakuen-Ōhashi area, there’s plenty of seating with a good view. The newest designs and creations are displayed by the best pyrotechnicians in Japan, and it originally started as a memorial event for officers who died during the war. The event is pretty long, lasting around two and a half hours.
Our top tip? Grab some food from the street stalls along the way and get your seat early.
Schedule 2025
In the event of bad weather, the event will be postponed to Saturday the 8th. If it still can’t go ahead, it will be canceled.
Tickets 2025
The main area that is usually open to the public (downstream along the river near the JR Jōban Line) requires tickets. These range in price from ¥4,000 to ¥6,000 for individual seats. They are sold via a lottery system.
All regular tickets are already sold out, but there’s still a slim chance to get in. The organisers run an official “individual resale” system: if original lottery winners can’t attend, their tickets are returned and resold.
Applications to put tickets back into the pool run from September 12–21, and anyone hoping to buy one of those resold tickets can apply during the separate resale lottery period from September 24–30. See more details and apply here.
Successful applicants will be announced on October 3.
How to watch the fireworks for free
Roads near the venue and private property cannot be used but the firework display is quite large so there are several spots you can use for free such as Tsuchiura City Kasumigaura Comprehensive Park, under the bypass of Route 6 near Aeon Mall Tsuchiura, and the lesser-known Kamitakatsu Shell Mound.
How to get there
The nearest station to the riverside is Tsuchiura Station on the JR Joban Line, around a 30-minute walk or 10-minute shuttle bus (provided on the day for ¥280 one way). It’s about 70 minutes by local train from Ueno Station or 45 minutes by express.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.
