July Fireworks Festivals Around Nagoya

July 20, 2024 3 min read

Nagoya Port Festival

Held annually on the ‘Marine Day’ public holiday, the Nagoya Port Festival, or Nagoya Minato Matsuri, is the year’s first big hanabi matsuri (firework festival). It started in 1946 to boost spirits and spread positivity after the devastation of World War 2. The festival begins at 12:30, but the main attraction for the large crowds is the spectacular display of around 3,000 fireworks.

Date: July 15, 2024
Time: 19:30 – 20:20
Fireworks: 3,000
Closest Station: Nagoyako Station (Meiko Line)

Ichinomiya Tanabata Matsuri

The Ichinomiya Tanabata Matsuri, or Ichinomiya Star Festival, is a famous event in Japan, celebrated in Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture. This festival commemorates the Tanabata legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi, who are said to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. The city is adorned with colorful Tanabata decorations, creating a festive atmosphere. The festival culminates with a spectacular fireworks display on the final evening.

Date: July 25 – July 28, 2024
Time: Evening, specific times may vary each day
Fireworks: Typically held on the final evening of the festival
Closest Station: Owari Ichinomiya Station (JR Tokaido Line) and Meitetsu Ichinomiya Station (Meitetsu Line)

Nakamura Park Summer Festival

The Nakamura Park Summer Festival in Nagoya features a lively atmosphere with a fireworks display, traditional cultural performances, food stalls, games, and easy accessibility from Nakamura Nisseki Station. It’s a great event for families and friends to enjoy.

Date: July 26, 2024
Time: 19:30 – 20:00
Fireworks: 2,000
Closest Station: Nakamura Nisseki Station (Higashiyama Line)

Toyohashi Gion Festival

The Toyohashi Gion Festival is the largest fireworks festival in the Higashi Mikawa area. It dates back to the early Edo era and maintains its old-world charm. The festival spans three days, starting with competitions on Friday between eight localities featuring displays of tezutsu (hand-held) firework cannons, which appear more dangerous than necessary. On Saturday, a modern fireworks performance features around 12,000 explosions. Sunday marks the festival’s winding down with traditional sasa odor dances, parades, processions, and the carrying of portable mikoshi shrines.

Date: July 27, 2024
Time: 19:00 – 21:00
Fireworks: 12,000
Closest Station: Toyohashi Station (JR and Meitetsu Lines)

Toyota Oiden Festival

“Oiden” is derived from the local Mikawa dialect, meaning “Come on,” inviting people to join in and dance. This vibrant festival gathers hundreds of dance teams in the heart of Toyota City to perform to the “Oiden song.” Spanning the weekend, the festivities culminate in a nearly two-hour-long fireworks display featuring approximately 12,000 fireworks choreographed to music.

Date: July 28, 2024
Time: 19:10 – 21:00
Fireworks: 12,000
Closest Station: Toyotashi Station (Meitetsu Mikawa Line)

Gamagori Festival

The Gamagori Festival is a big summer event held in Gamagori, a coastal city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The festival is known for its amazing fireworks display and cultural activities, attracting many people from nearby areas. About 4,000 fireworks are launched, including the Shosanjakudama fireworks, which are famous for their huge size and impressive visual impact. This firework expands to about 650 meters when it explodes, making it one of the biggest fireworks displays on Japan’s Pacific coast.

Date: July 28, 2024
Time: 19:30 – 21:00
Fireworks: 4,000
Closest Station: Gamagori Station (JR Tokaido Line)

Emran Kassim from Jhb, my, Japan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons