7/30/2008

During summers in Japan, a line of firework displays are scheduled weekly for the public eye in Tokyo. And usually these fireworks are a wrap up to festivals during the summer so here is a list of events to check out and mark on your calendar if you want to catch these work of art in the sky.

Yokohama 150th Anniversary Fireworks Festival
Sun July 20. Boom Factor: 6,000. 7:30-8:40pm. Nearest stn: Sakuragicho (JR Negishi line); Minato Mirai (Minato Mirai line). Tel: 0180-99-4045.

Katsuhika Noryo Fireworks Display
Tue July 22. Boom Factor: 10,000. 7:20-8:20pm. Nearest stn: Shibamata (Keisei Kanamachi line). Tel: 03-3838-5558

Sumida River Fireworks
Sat July 26. Boom Factor: 20,000. 7:10- 8:30pm. Nearest stn: Asakusa (Tobu Isesaki line, Ginza line, Asakusa line); Kuramae (Oedo line). Tel: 03-5608-6951.

Teganuma Fireworks Festival
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 13,500. 7-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Abiko (JR Joban line); Kita- Kashiwa (JR Joban line). Tel: 04-7182-3131.

Sakura Shimin Fireworks Festival
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 10,000. 7:20-9pm. Nearest stn: Usui (Keisei Main line). Tel: 043-4866-6000.

Ageo Fireworks Festival (Saitama)
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 13,000. 7-9pm. Nearest stn: Ageo (Takasaki line). Tel: 048-775-5917.

Atsugi Ayu Fireworks Festival
Sat Aug 2. Boom factor: 10,000. 7-8:40pm. Nearest stn: Hon-Atsugi (Odakyu line). Tel: 046-295-5496.

Kanagawa Shimbun Fireworks Festival
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 8,000. 7:15-7:30pm. Nearest stn: Sakuragicho (JR line, Yokohama Municipal Subway); Minato Mirai (Minato Mirai line). Tel: 045-227-0744.

Edogawa City Fireworks
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 14,000. 7:15-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Shinozaki (Shinjuku line); Koiwa, Ichikawa (Sobu line); Keisei Edogawa, Konodai (Keisei Main line). Tel: 03-5662-0523.

Seiseki Tama River Fireworks
Tue Aug 5. Boom Factor: 4,600. 7:30-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Seiseki Sakuragaoka (Keio line). Tel: 080-6574-1404.

Enoshima Fireworks
Tue Aug 5. Boom factor: 5,000. 7:15- 8:15pm. Nearest stn: Katase Enoshima (Odakyu line); Enoshima ( Enoshima line); Shonan Enoshima (Shonan Monorail). Tel: 0466-24-4141.

Tateyama Bay Fireworks Festival
Fri Aug 8. Boom Factor: 10,000. 7:30-8:45pm. Nearest stn: Tateyama (JR line). Tel: 0470-22-8330.

Tokyo Bay Fireworks
Sun Aug 10. Boom factor: 12,000. 7-8:20pm. Nearest stn: Kachidoki; Hamamatsucho; Toyosu. Tel: 03-3248-1561.

Nikkan Sports 2007
Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival Thu Aug 7. Boom Factor: 10,000. 7:30-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Sendagaya; Shinanomachi (Chuo-Sobu line); Yoyogi (Chuo-Sobu, Yamanote lines); Gaienmae, Aoyama-Itchome; Omotesando (Ginza line). Tel: 03-3547-0900.

Chofu City Fireworks
Sat Aug 23. Boom Factor: about 12,000. 7:20-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Keio Tamagawa. Tel: 042-481-7311.

Festivals
August
Hachioji Festival
Fri 1-Sun 3. Some 1,500 participants stomp around carrying a flotilla of four-ton portable shrines. Day three is the highlight, when the six floats start a running battles, or buttsuke (literally, “hitting”). Nearest stn: Hachioji (Chuo line). Tel: 042-648-1531. www.hachiojimatsuri.jp

Asagaya Tanabata Festival
Sat 6-Wed 10. The highlight of this Tanabata “Star Festival” is the elaborate kusudama decorations. Nearest stn: Asagaya. Minami-Asagaya Tel: 03-3312-6181. www.asagaya.or.jp

Fukagawa Hachiman Festival
Wed 13-Sun 17. One of the three biggest Shrine festivals in Tokyo. Also known as the water-covering festival: water is splashed while the crowd carries 120 portable shrines calling out “Wasshoi!” Nearest stn: Monzen Nakamachi (Tozai line or Oedo line). Tel: 03-3642-1315.
www.tomiokahachimangu.or.jp

Azabu-Juban Festival
Fri 22-Sun 24. Hundreds of food stalls, plus traditional dancing and music. Expect large crowds. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban. Tel: 03-3578-2111. www.azabujuban.or.jp

Asakusa Samba Carnival
Sat 30. Interesting combination of traditional Brazilian dance in Tokyo’s most traditional town. 1:30pm. Nearest stn: Asakusa. Tel: 03-3847-0038. www.asakusa-samba.jp

Koenji Awa Odori
Sat 23-Sun 24. A huge traditional summer dance festival in this vibrant area of western Tokyo. 6-9pm. Nearest stn: Koenji (Chuo line). www.koenji-awaodori.com

Super Yosakoi Festival 2008
Sat 23-Sun 24. The Tokyo alternative to the southern island of Kochi’s traditional dance festival featuring about 80 amateur teams. 10am-6pm. Nearest stn: Harajuku; Meiji-Jingumae; Omotesando. Tel: 03-5766-1320. www.yosakoi-harajuku.com

Katsushika Noryo Fireworks Display
Kicking off Japan’s hanabi season, the Edo River lights up with about 10,000 fireworks. Head over early to beat the crowds. July 22 7:20-8:20pm, free. Shibamata Baseball Field. Nearest stn: Keisei Kanamachi Line, Shibamata.

The list is courtesy of Metropolis.