Kumano Fireworks Festival - Japan's Premier Fireworks Festival with 300 Years of History

The Kumano Fireworks Festival, held annually in August along the Shichiri Mihama Coast in Kumano City, Mie Prefecture, is one of Japan's most prestigious fireworks festivals with approximately 300 years of history. Originally begun as Hatsubon memorial services for ancestral spirits during the Obon period, this traditional festival continues to incorporate elements of memorial tribute while illuminating the night sky and sea surface with approximately 10,000 fireworks each year. The festival's most spectacular feature is the nationally rare "Kaijō Jibaku" (marine surface self-detonation). This dynamic presentation involves launching lit fireworks from speeding boats into the sea, where they explode in spectacular semicircular displays directly in front of spectators. The highlight is the "Sanshaku-dama Kaijō Jibaku," featuring massive fireworks weighing approximately 250kg that create gigantic semicircles with diameters of about 600 meters blooming over the sea surface, captivating audiences with its overwhelming scale. Another signature attraction is the grand finale called "Onigajō Ōshikake," staged against the backdrop of Onigajō, a designated National Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument. The natural acoustic effects created by the cliffs and sea caves combine with the thunderous sounds of fireworks to produce an unparalleled symphony of sound and light that cannot be experienced anywhere else. Set against the magnificent natural backdrop of Kumano, registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Kumano Fireworks Festival continues to captivate audiences with its unique presentations created by the interplay of sea and cliffs, remaining beloved as the quintessential summer tradition of the Kumano region.