| Dates | Last weekend of July |
| Opening Hours | Fireworks start from 19:30 until 20:30 |
| Contact | - |
| Location / Getting There | Held near the Toyohira River Minami Bridge in Sapporo. It's a 10 minute walk from Nakajima Koen subway station or Horohira-Bashi subway station 64064-0809 1 Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido |
The Doshin/UHB Fireworks Festival (better known as the Toyohira River Fireworks) is part of the Sapporo summer fireworks schedule. It is located along the banks of Toyohira River, and it os one of the three large firework displays in Sapporo. The festival is held on the last Friday of July. Due to its easy access from central Sapporo (about a 10 minute walk from Susukino or Odori), this firework festival is one of the most popular events for the summer. Over the hour, approximately 4,000 fireworks light up the night sky over Sapporo creating a beautiful effect against the city’s skyline.
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The event is on during the Sapporo Beer Garden , so why not go to both? The fireworks start at 19:30 and go for an hour. This event does get very busy, so its a good idea to get there early and find a spot! Bring a mat, something to drink and enjoy the warm evening. If you are lucky enough to know someone living along the river, the views from the apartment building are the best. Many of the locals are in their yukatas (summer kimono), so you can get some good photos of the crowds.The fireworks are on every year, and in the case of persistent heavy rain, they are rescheduled to a later date.
| Dates | 1st weekend of September |
| Contact | phone 0134-26-6160 mobile 080-4505-2424 |
| Notes | Free parking available (from 5pm) Fire works start around 7pm Food, live music, & taiko drums |
| Location / Getting There | Access by bus, take the train to Otaru station, then take the Otaru Aquarium bus. A taxi will cost around ￥3000 from Otaru station |
Otaru has many festivals over the year, and the Otaru Shukutsu Festival is one of the last festivals to see fireworks for the summer. The festival starts off at 5pm and attracts many of the locals and there is a lot to see.There is a “mikoshi” (portable shrine), taiko drum performance, live music, plus there are plenty of food stalls and of course, the fireworks which start at 7pm! All of this takes place below a meiji period house/museum, the ‘Otaru Nishin Goten’, which makes a fantastic backdrop for this festival!
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At the start of the festival a portable shrine (mikoshi) is carried in by a large group of participants. These group of shrine bearers get together every year, and are from Sapporo and a few outlying towns. Chanting and singing to the rhythm the shrine is slowly brought into the festival. Once the shrine is in the festival it is placed in front of a dozen Taiko performers hitting the drums in time with the chanting. The drums with the shrine gives this festival a great Japanese atmosphere!
Fireworks over Otaru Nishin Goten
There are many food stalls, and as Shukutsu is a local fishing town there is a lot of grilled seafood to treat your taste buds! Shellfish, sea snails, squid, octopus, and fish are all on the menu. After an evening meal you can settle in and await the fireworks. Many people set up early for a good viewing spot for the fireworks but there is plenty of space! The Shukutsu fireworks are set off along the stone beach along the harbor, just below the Otaru Nishin Goten and lighthouse. At 7:00pm the fireworks begin and light up the sky so make sure you’re there before then! Enjoy!
