The Jingu-Gaien Fireworks Festival
User:ITA-ATU, Jingu Fireworks 08-3, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons
Each year in August, close to 1,000,000 people gather in various venues to watch a spectacular display of 12,000 perfectly co-ordinated fireworks going off against the Tokyo night sky. The event is known as the Jingu-Gaien Fireworks Festival and first started in 1980 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Meiji Jingu Shrine. Today, it’s one of the three largest fireworks festivals held in Tokyo.
- From where to watch the fireworks
- How to get tickets
- Event details
Video is owned and created by Tokyo Omotenashi.
From where to watch the fireworks
The fireworks are so large and spectacular that you can enjoy it from just about anywhere in and around Central Tokyo. Watching it from the street is possible, but there are also many venues for which you will have to purchase tickets. These places include the Jingu Baseball Stadium, the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium, the softball grounds, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
How to get tickets
The Jingu Baseball Stadium is the most popular place to be for the Jingu-Gaien Fireworks Festival because of the pre-fireworks musical performances by various Japanese pop artists. Tickets go on sale two months before the event (June), and you can get them online at t.pia.jp – ‘Website is in Japanese only.’
Tickets for the Jingu Baseball Stadium costs $40 – $70, while seating at the other mentioned venues ranges between $25 – $40.
Event details
| When? | 11th August – Can be postponed to the following day in case of rain. |
|---|---|
| Where? | The Jingu Baseball Stadium, the softball grounds, the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium or the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. Alternatively, anywhere within a 1 kilometer radius from these venues. |
| Admission Fee | Free – $70 | Time | 19:30pm – 20:30pm. |
Further reading
Visit the official site of the Jingu-Gaien Fireworks Festival here.