This fireworks festival, revived after a roughly 20-year absence, has a particularly local twist: the number of fireworks is tied to the number of children born in Hirakata, Takatsuki, and Katano. For 2026, around 4,877 fireworks are scheduled to light up the Yodo River, including memorial fireworks, with organizers expecting around 300,000 visitors.

The event takes place at two venues on opposite sides of the river in Hirakata and Takatsuki. Before the main display, visitors can enjoy live performances, food trucks, and other activities, followed by a drone show and fireworks from around 7:10 PM.

Osaka Art Fireworks 2026 brings music-synchronized Japanese fireworks back to the waterfront at Rinku Park, directly across Osaka Bay from Kansai International Airport. Fireworks are launched offshore, giving spectators a broad, unobstructed view from the seaside venue.

The setting is part of the appeal. Rinku Park is also known for its sunset views, so arriving before dark lets you catch the sun dropping over Osaka Bay before the fireworks take over the sky. The 2026 program also includes a special fireworks work produced in collaboration with former figure skater Takahiko Kozuka.

Set against the waterfront at Wakayama Marina City, Starlight Illusion combines fireworks and music in a tightly choreographed nighttime show. Rather than one long autumn fireworks festival, several short performances are held on selected dates, making it easy to combine with a day at Porto Europa and the surrounding resort area.

This unusual fireworks experience takes place aboard sightseeing boats on Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake. Instead of watching from shore, passengers cruise out onto the water toward a launch location that remains secret until the fireworks begin.

The approximately 25-minute "Cinematic Starmine" display synchronizes fireworks with music, creating a very different atmosphere from a conventional riverside festival. The autumn 2026 editions are scheduled for October 10 and November 21, with several boats operating depending on the date.

Returning to the Expo ’70 Commemorative Park, this spectacular Kansai fireworks event transforms the sky into a living canvas with 15,000 fireworks and precise music synchronization down to 1/100 of a second. The show combines brilliant pyrotechnics with 3D drone art, enhanced lighting, and immersive staging that surrounds the audience in light and sound. Visitors can also enjoy street-food stalls, dining areas, and stage performances before the 7 PM show for a full-day festival of art, flavor, and fireworks.

The Tone River Fireworks Festival is one of Japan's largest fireworks events, drawing around 300,000 visitors each year. Four renowned fireworks masters—Yamazaki Fireworks (Ibaraki), Nomura Fireworks (Ibaraki), Beniya Aoki Fireworks (Nagano), and Marugo (Yamanashi)—will launch an impressive 30,000 fireworks, lighting up the night sky over Sakai Town. Various paid seating options are available for viewing.

Held beside the Pacific at Oarai Sun Beach, the Oarai Sea Fireworks Festival combines one of Ibaraki's biggest fireworks displays with a full afternoon of entertainment. The 2026 edition steps things up to a record 20,000 fireworks, with the reflection of the display over the sea adding to the spectacle.

Activities begin from the afternoon, with the fireworks taking over from 6 PM. The 2026 program also includes an aerobatic performance by Whisky Papa before the main nighttime show.

Now in its 23rd edition, the festival is scheduled to launch around 20,000 fireworks, culminating in its famous "Ootori Ranbu" finale. The enormous display is known for filling the broad Arakawa sky with large shells and rapid-fire sequences.

The 2026 festival also adds spectacle before nightfall, with a Blue Impulse demonstration flight scheduled for 4 PM, followed later by a drone show and the main fireworks.

Chikusei Fireworks Festival brings together three leading Ibaraki pyrotechnic companies for a huge autumn display of around 20,000 fireworks. Large shells, rapid-fire sequences and music-synchronized displays unfold against the open skies around Michi-no-Eki Gran Terrace Chikusei.

This fireworks festival, held annually in early November in Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki, is one of Japan's three major fireworks competitions, attracting around 450,000 visitors from across the country. As a competition-based event, it showcases top-tier fireworks displays, crafted with high-level technical skill. Pyrotechnicians from all over Japan compete in three categories: "Starmine," where hundreds of fireworks are launched in sync with music, the single-shot "10-Shaku-dama," judged on its color and arrangement when fully bloomed, and the innovative "Creative Fireworks," featuring unique designs like character shapes. The displays are judged by a panel, with the results posted on the official website the following day.

In addition to the competition, other special performances include the wide starmine "Tsuchiura Hanabi-zukushi" and a grand finale fireworks show. About 20,000 fireworks will be launched during the event, with English announcements provided for international visitors. Outside the viewing area, food stalls create a festive atmosphere.

The Atami Sea Fireworks Festival has been lighting up Atami Bay since 1952, with 2026 marking 75 years since the first event. Unlike most major fireworks festivals, it is held several times throughout the year, including multiple autumn dates.

Atami Bay acts like a natural amphitheater, amplifying the boom of the fireworks as they burst over the water. The show culminates in the spectacular "Grand Aerial Niagara," while popular viewing areas include Atami Sun Beach, Shinsui Park and the waterfront promenade.

Held annually in late November, the Nagano Ebisuko Fireworks Festival dates back to the late 19th century and is one of Japan's best-known autumn fireworks events. The crisp November air and riverside setting create especially clear conditions for the vivid shells and music-synchronized displays.

The 120th edition in 2026 will again feature large shells and elaborate star mines, with a drone show also scheduled as part of the evening program.

Hokkaido Art Fireworks takes place at Moerenuma Park, Isamu Noguchi's vast landscape park on the outskirts of Sapporo. Some of Japan's leading pyrotechnicians choreograph the fireworks precisely to music, using the park's wide-open setting as a giant nighttime stage.

For 2026, former figure skater Mao Asada collaborated on the production of a special fireworks piece, adding a new creative element to the annual show.

The Katakai Festival, held in Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture, is an autumn festival of Asahara Shrine in Katakai Town, where the fireworks are offered as a dedication to the shrine. Traditional rituals take place throughout the day, including the "Tama Okuri" procession, where fireworks are presented to the shrine, and the "Tsubuhiki" ceremony to pray for the safe launch of the fireworks. Over the course of two days, approximately 15,000 fireworks will be launched.

The highlight of both nights is the massive four-shakudama firework, launched at 10:00 PM, with a burst diameter and height of around 800 meters, creating an impressive spectacle. Visitors can also enjoy food stalls near the shrine, making it a festive experience.

Tohoku Future Art Fireworks takes place beside the sea in Watari Town, Miyagi Prefecture, in an area profoundly affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. The event combines music and fireworks in a tightly choreographed artistic display while continuing to highlight the region's recovery and local community.

Marking 15 years since the disaster, the 2026 edition is themed "Ashita e no March: Keisuke Kuwata SP," building its fireworks program around the music of Keisuke Kuwata. Kuwata himself is not scheduled to perform.

Held along the banks of the Kuma River in Kumamoto Prefecture, the Yatsushiro National Fireworks Competition is one of western Japan’s standout fireworks events, drawing leading pyrotechnicians from across the country for a high-level contest in the night sky.

Expect huge shells, intricate star mines, and dramatic music-synchronized sequences, with each team showing off its own style, timing, and technical skill. The broad riverside setting gives the fireworks plenty of room to unfold, making the scale of the display especially impressive.

The event attracts large crowds, so it pays to plan transportation and viewing arrangements in advance. Check the official website for the latest dates, ticket information, access details, and special programming.

The 2026 edition launches around 22,000 fireworks over Huis Ten Bosch, pairing large-scale pyrotechnics with the theme park's waterfront scenery, illuminations and nighttime entertainment. The show incorporates music, lasers and other effects, making it as much a large-scale nighttime production as a traditional fireworks display.

Fireworks aren’t just for summer—be sure to enjoy them in the fall as well! Keep in mind that Japan’s autumn evenings can get quite chilly, so don’t forget to bring warm clothing. Also, fall is typhoon season, so in case of bad weather, events may be postponed or canceled. Be sure to check ahead for updates.