Summer 2022 Fireworks Events in Kanagawa Prefecture
These days, the smell of summer is gradually becoming stronger in the air.
For me, who grew up in Kanagawa Prefecture, the fireworks at the Yokohama Port Opening Festival always signal the start of summer.
On a tepid night when it was still a little early to call it summer, I looked up at the sky in my yukata and felt excited at the arrival of summer. Now that I'm an adult, I no longer have the seemingly endless summer vacation, and I'm busy working under the scorching sun or in a room too cold with the air conditioner, so summer is no longer all fun and games. Still, I still find my heart dancing at the thought of summertime concepts like "fireworks," "the sound of cicadas," and "the smell of sunscreen," perhaps a privilege of living in a country where we can enjoy all four seasons.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many fireworks festivals have been canceled in recent years, but this year, events where you can enjoy fireworks are gradually making a comeback in Kanagawa Prefecture. In this article, we will introduce some notable events where you can enjoy fireworks in the prefecture in the summer of 2022.
●Yugawara Onsen Fireworks Festival
Scheduled date: August 3rd (Wednesday), August 6th (Saturday) if it rains
The Yugawara Onsen Fireworks Festival is the finale of the Yugawara Yassa Festival, which greatly enlivens the summer in Yugawara. After the colorful floats enliven the grounds with the sounds of "Yassa, Mossa," the stage shifts to the sky on the second night, where approximately 6,000 fireworks conclude the festival. The fireworks, launched with Sagami Bay as their backdrop, not only illuminate the night sky but also the sea surface in brilliant colors, creating a truly fantastical scene. One of the popular performances is the underwater starmine display, which can only be seen at sea. This fireworks festival, where you can gaze up at the fireworks while feeling the pleasant sea breeze and then relax in the hot springs afterwards, is a popular event that attracts many people from both within and outside the prefecture.
Izu Yugawara Onsen Summer Fireworks Festival
Scheduled date: July 23rd (Saturday), or August 27th (Saturday) if postponed
Also from Yugawara is the Izu Yugawara Onsen Summer Fireworks Festival, beloved as "Japan's closest fireworks display." Held at Izumi Park in the center of Yugawara Onsen town, you can enjoy a combination of approximately 2,000 fireworks and the Enshu Tezutsu Fireworks, a rare sight at regular fireworks displays. Tezutsu fireworks are performed by pyrotechnicians who hold the tubes by hand and launch fireworks into the sky from approximately 100 tubes. While fireworks are often thought of as beautiful and fleeting, this display offers a powerful and impressive impact. The subsequent fireworks are launched within the park, allowing you to get up close and personal with all five senses, including the sound of the launch and the smell of gunpowder. This fireworks festival offers a wide variety of fireworks to enjoy up close, including the popular starmines and musical fireworks set off in sync with music.
●Hakone Gora Onsen Daimonji Yaki
Date (planned): August 16th (Tuesday)
Next up is a Hakone summer tradition that can be enjoyed alongside fireworks. The Hakone Gora Onsen Daimonjiyaki, celebrating its 101st anniversary this year, is one of Hakone's three major festivals. It has long been held to entertain tourists and summer visitors, and as a farewell bonfire for the Obon festival. The character "大" (大) made using approximately 200-300 torches boasts a considerable size: the first stroke is 108 meters, the second stroke is 162 meters, and the third stroke is 81 meters. As the fireworks signal the ignition, the sight of the character "大" slowly rising above the 924-meter-high Mt. Myojogatake is a sight that can truly be said to symbolize the Japanese summer. Fireworks, just as brilliant as the Daimonjiyaki, include a variety of displays, including the popular "Starmine" and "Niagara Falls," vividly lighting up the night sky.
●Shonan Hiratsuka Fireworks Festival
Scheduled date: Friday, August 26th (Sunday, August 28th if it rains)
Photo courtesy of Hiratsuka City Tourism Association
At the end of August, the Shonan Hiratsuka Fireworks Festival lights up the Shonan sky. Held on the seaside, this fireworks display is a symbol of Shonan's summer. After being canceled for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it returns this year for the first time in three years. Held at Shonan Itako (the mouth of the Sagami River), the festival begins with a taiko drumming performance and typically sees the launch of approximately 3,000 fireworks. Originally started in 1951 by local residents of the Suga district as the "Suga Summer Fireworks Festival," it has since grown under the auspices of the tourist association and become a popular and essential part of Shonan's summer. A wide variety of fireworks, including large fireworks and star mines, burst into bloom. The "Hanabillusion" fireworks, set to music at the end of the festival, are a must-see.
I hope you will visit the area and experience the Japanese summer for yourself.
