Mt. Fuji & Kawaguchiko: Top 8 Fireworks and Summer Festivals
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We will introduce the fireworks festival held at the Fuji Five Lakes, which is easily accessible from Tokyo and Kanagawa. Be sure to combine your sightseeing around Mt. Fuji with the Fuji Five Lakes fireworks festival!
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The northern foot of Mt. Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture is a stunning area of Japan that has plenty to offer visitors. At the foot of Mt. Fuji, including ”Arakurayama Sengen Park”, which offers a view of Mt. Fuji and the iconic five-story pagoda, "Chureito." The Kawaguchiko Momiji Corridor is also a must-visit during the autumn season when visitors can see the colorful leaves. Our company, based in Lake Kawaguchiko, operates various facilities that utilize the natural resources of Mt. Fuji. These include the theme park "Fuji Subaru Land," which offers a range of exciting rides and attractions, and the Fujiten Snow Resort, where visitors can enjoy skiing and snowboarding. Visitors can also sample the world-famous "Fujizakura Heights Beer," made using natural water “Fujizakura Meisui” , or relax in the natural hot spring, "Fuji Chobo no yu Yurari," . We will clearly communicate the charm of Mt. Fuji, which changes with the seasons, from the base of Mt. Fuji in Kawaguchiko.
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Table of Contents
- The Charms of Japanese Festivals
- 1. Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko Fireworks Festival
- 2. The Yamanakako Hoko Fireworks Festival
- 3. Saiko Ryugu Fireworks Festival
- 4. The Shinko Festival
- 5.Kawaguchiko Kojo Fireworks Festival
- 6. The Oshino Hakkai Festival
- 7. The Shojiko Ryoko Fireworks Festival (Not Held in 2024)
- 8. Traditional Summer Festivals Around the Fuji Five Lakes
- Fireworks Held in Different Seasons
- 5 Locations to Visit in Kawaguchiko Together with Fireworks
In the Fuji Five Lakes area, fireworks festivals are held at each lake for five days from August 1st to August 5th every year .
The Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks is famous as one of the most famous fireworks displays in Yamanashi Prefecture, but the fireworks displays held at other lakes, such as Lake Lake Yamanakako, Lake Lake Saiko, Lake Lake Motosuko, and Lake Lake Shojiko, each have their own unique features and are well worth seeing. There are also many food stalls, a staple of Japanese festivals, where you can enjoy food stalls such as takoyaki, yakisoba, yakitori, and chocolate bananas while watching the fireworks.
This time, we will introduce the fireworks festival held at the Fuji Five Lakes, which is easily accessible from Tokyo and Kanagawa.
Please enjoy the Fuji Five Lakes fireworks display along with your sightseeing around Mt. Fuji.
The Charms of Japanese Festivals
1. Food Stalls
The "yatai" (food stalls), an essential part of festivals, are said to have originated from the black market after World War II.
Black markets are a form of commerce that emerged in the chaotic period after the war in Japan, when under the food control system it was illegal to obtain anything other than rationed goods, but it was difficult to survive on rations alone, so people would obtain the necessities of their lives at black markets, which were lined with restaurants serving udon noodles and alcohol, in addition to vegetables, fish, and daily necessities. Later, the range of goods sold became more diverse, and they became the "yatai" of today.
Classic street food includes yakisoba, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, chocolate bananas, crepes and other foods that are loved by Japanese people of all ages and genders.
Note: As many stores only accept cash, we recommend that you bring plenty of 100 yen coins. Also, it may be a good idea to exchange your money for 1,000 yen bills instead of 10,000 yen bills.
2. Yukata
The word yukata originates from "yukatabira," a garment worn by aristocrats during the Heian period (794-1185) when they took steam baths. Later, during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600), it became something worn after bathing to absorb moisture (like a modern-day bathrobe), and is said to have spread among commoners during the Edo period (1603-1868). Before Western clothing became common in the early Showa period, yukata were apparently used as nightwear (pajamas). During the Meiji period (1868-1912), yukata became a common summer garment and evolved into the yukata we know today.
Yukata are made from cotton and linen, which makes them highly absorbent and breathable, so they are worn in the summer when people tend to sweat. Currently, yukatas with a variety of patterns are sold in Japan, and they are especially popular among women in their teens and twenties as fashionable clothing for festivals and other special events.
1. Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko Fireworks Festival
The fireworks display, which marks the opening of Mount Fuji to the mountain climbing season, is held every year on July 1st, bringing excitement to the Fuji Five Lakes area along with the start of the summer mountain season. It is also famous as the earliest fireworks display in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Date and time: Saturday, July 6, 2024 20:00-20:30
Venue: Oike Park
2. The Yamanakako Hoko Fireworks Festival
The Yamanakako Hoko Festival・Fireworks began in 1925, after the Great Kanto Earthquake, when students from Tokyo University set off fireworks on the lake, and was later named the Houko Festival by the literary master Tokutomi Soho. The meaning of offering thanks and prayers for the blessings of the lake to console the spirits and to prevent disasters was added, and the Houko Festival began to be held every year on August 1st.
The Lake Yamanakako Hoko Festival・Fireworks, which kicks off the Fuji Five Lakes fireworks festival, uses the large lake to launch fireworks from four locations in the four districts of Yamanaka, Asahigaoka, Hirano, and Nagaike. The fireworks launched in the main venue, Yamanaka, are a variety of colorful fireworks.
Date and time: Thursday, August 1, 2024, 20:00~
Venue: Yamanaka district, Lake Yamanaka / Hirano district: Lake Yamanakako Misaki
Please note that Lake Yamanakako Communication Plaza Kirara will be closed due to the fireworks display.
3. Saiko Ryugu Fireworks Festival
The water goddess Toyotamahime is enshrined in the Ryugu Doketsu (Lava Cave) Cave, a nationally designated natural monument famous as a power spot in the Aokigahara Jukai forest. The festival of Ryugu Shrine (Kokukai Shrine), which enshrines Toyotamahime, is the Saiko Ryugu Festival・Fireworks.
Compared to the Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks, this fireworks display has a smaller scale and more subdued atmosphere, but you can enjoy the combination of the floating lanterns and fireworks on the lake. Approximately 700 colorful fireworks are launched, and if you sit in the front row along the lakeside, you can enjoy the most impressive fireworks.
Date and time: Friday, August 2, 2024
Venue: Lake Lake Saiko
4. The Shinko Festival
Lake Motosuko is famous for being the image on the Japanese 1,000 yen bill. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the roar of the fireworks echoes pleasantly throughout the lake. There are many campsites around Lake Motosuko, so it is also recommended to camp and enjoy the fireworks.
Date and time: Saturday, August 3, 2023, 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Lake Lake Motosuko
5.Kawaguchiko Kojo Fireworks Festival
The Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks originated from the Misogi Festival, an event in which all worldly impurities are washed away into the water at the lake of Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine , one of the Component Parts of World Heritage of the Mount Fuji World Heritage Site. To express gratitude to Duke Shimazu, who had a villa in the Oishi area of Lake Kawaguchiko Town and was always interested in and committed to the development of tourism around Lake Kawaguchiko, fireworks were launched from the lake to form an expression of gratitude, and the festival came to be known as the Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks today.
The Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks is the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes festivals, and as it takes place on the final day of the five-night fireworks festival, about 10,000 fireworks are launched in a spectacular fashion. The unique "water fireworks" that can only be seen on a lake are unique in that they launch semicircular fireworks, which are combined with the semicircular fireworks reflected on the lake surface to create a single firework.
Date and time: Saturday, August 5, 2023, 20:00~
Venue: Oike Park
Due to traffic restrictions around Lake Kawaguchiko, the surrounding roads and parking lots will be very crowded. Please allow yourself plenty of time when traveling.
6. The Oshino Hakkai Festival
This festival is held every year on August 8th in Oshino Village. It is a summer festival to worship the "Eight Great Dragon Kings", the guardian deities of the Oshino Hakkai Seas, in commemoration of the peace and prosperity of the village. In addition to various events such as character shows and Bon Odori dances, the highlight is the spectacular "Hachimonji Yaki" burning on Mt. Koza, which is held to drive away evil spirits, invite new buds of all plants and animals, and pray for the happiness of the villagers and the peace and prosperity of the village.
This festival has many highlights, including fireworks that rise in time with the music at the climax.
Date and time: Thursday, August 8, 2024
Venue: Oshino Hakkai
7. The Shojiko Ryoko Fireworks Festival (Not Held in 2024)
This fireworks festival features around 500 fireworks and live jazz music, creating a gorgeous summer lakeside atmosphere. It is a fusion of the fireworks festival "Ryo Lake Festival" and " Lake Shojiko Music Festival" held at Lake Shojiko . The launch site is close by, so the fireworks that shoot straight up into the sky are very impressive.
8. Traditional Summer Festivals Around the Fuji Five Lakes
Yoshida Fire Festival and Susuki Festival
The Yoshida Fire Festival is an annual festival held by both Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine and Suwa Shrine. It has a history of over 400 years and is counted as one of the three most unusual festivals in Japan. About 90 large 3-meter-tall torches are lined up in the area from the golden torii gate in the Kamiyoshida district to Kitaguchi Fuji Sengen Shrine, creating a fantastical landscape.
In addition, the "Susuki Festival" held on the following day, the 27th, in the afternoon, is called the "Susuki Festival" because parishioners and worshippers carry "Susuki tamagushi" (pampas grass offerings) and follow the two mikoshi around Takamagahara.
With the end of this festival, the Fuji Five Lakes take on a distinctly autumnal feel.
Dates and times: Fire Festival: Monday, August 26, 2024 / Susuki Festival, August 27, 2024
Venue: Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine
Fireworks Held in Different Seasons
Kawaguchiko Winter Fireworks
This fireworks festival is held every year on weekends and holidays from mid-January to mid-February at Lake Kawaguchiko. You can enjoy fireworks that light up the clear winter night sky. In addition, a fireworks festival is held on February 23rd to commemorate "Mount Fuji Day."
Spectacular Fireworks at Mt. Fuji
This fireworks show, performed by the world's top four pyrotechnicians, features spectacular views of Mt. Fuji and is held every April at Fujiten Snow Resort.
5 Locations to Visit in Kawaguchiko Together with Fireworks
1. Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine
It is an ancient shrine with a history of over 1,900 years and is counted as one of the Component Parts of World Heritage of the Mount Fuji World Heritage Site.
At the starting point of the Yoshida Ascending Route of Mount Fuji, Taidai Kagura dance is performed at the Opening Ceremony held on June 30th every year and the Fire Festival (Yoshida Fire Festival) held on August 26th and 27th. The 1000-year-old large cedar tree next to the main hall is a spectacular sight.
2. Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine
This shrine was built to calm the eruption of Mt. Fuji, and is one of the Component Parts of World Heritage of the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Site. Within the shrine grounds is the Seven Cedars, which are over 1,200 years old and are famous as a power spot. The traditional performing art of "Chigo no Mai," which has been performed to calm the eruption of Mt. Fuji, is a nationally designated important intangible folk custom. Also, about a 30-minute walk from Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine, there is the remote worship site "Tenku no Torii," which offers a panoramic view of Mt. Fuji, and the subordinate shrine "Haha no Shirataki."
3. Oshino Hakkai
Oshino Hakkai is a spring-fed pond whose source is the underground waters of Mount Fuji and has been recognized as one of the Component Parts of World Heritage of the Mount Fuji World Heritage Site.
Lake Oshino, which once stood in this area, dried up, and what remained as the outlet for spring water is the current Oshino Hakkai. The meltwater that falls on Mt. Fuji is filtered through the impermeable lava layer underground over the course of several decades, making it a mysterious pond with outstanding transparency that allows you to see the bottom clearly. The beautiful spring water pond is said to cleanse the soul.
4. Ryugu Doketsu (Lava Cave)(Kokukai Shrine)
Ryugu Doketsu (Lava Cave) is a nationally designated natural monument and a popular power spot. It is a cave located in the Aokigahara Jukai forest, but the entrance is located along Prefectural Route 710, so you can drive close to it. When you go down into the cave, you will feel the cool air even in summer.
5. Mount Fuji 5th Station
The Yamanashi side's gateway to climbing Mt. Fuji, the "Mt. Fuji 5th Station," is a popular tourist destination with shrines, restaurants, souvenir shops, etc. From the 5th Station, you can also enjoy a spectacular view of the summit of Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Yamanakako below.
At Fujikanko Travel, in addition to taxi tours that take you around recommended tourist spots, such as the "Shrine Tour Course" and the "Seasonal Flower Walk Course," we can also create special plans just for you if you let us know in advance where you would like to go.
The northern foot of Mt. Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture is a stunning area of Japan that has plenty to offer visitors. At the foot of Mt. Fuji, including ”Arakurayama Sengen Park”, which offers a view of Mt. Fuji and the iconic five-story pagoda, "Chureito." The Kawaguchiko Momiji Corridor is also a must-visit during the autumn season when visitors can see the colorful leaves. Our company, based in Lake Kawaguchiko, operates various facilities that utilize the natural resources of Mt. Fuji. These include the theme park "Fuji Subaru Land," which offers a range of exciting rides and attractions, and the Fujiten Snow Resort, where visitors can enjoy skiing and snowboarding. Visitors can also sample the world-famous "Fujizakura Heights Beer," made using natural water “Fujizakura Meisui” , or relax in the natural hot spring, "Fuji Chobo no yu Yurari," . We will clearly communicate the charm of Mt. Fuji, which changes with the seasons, from the base of Mt. Fuji in Kawaguchiko.
The contents on this page may partially contain automatic translation.
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