Three major fireworks festivals in Amanohashidate

Amanohashidate Monjudo
Voyaging Out Ceremony

This festival is held every year on July 24th. It is an event based on the legendary “Kusedo-engi*” that remains in Chionji Temple. This event also includes “Mando-e (a Puja)”, in which many lights are lit to make an offering to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, repent for the sins of all living things, and pray for their extermination, is also held. The lanterns are raised at night near the shore that’s close to Chion-ji Temple and the Amanohashidate canal is illuminated. The festival reaches its climax with many fireworks set off. This time of year, the hotels near the venue accept reservations of Fireworks Viewing Boat Tours operated by us. Please make a reservation if you are interested. You can see the fireworks from the sea on this tour!

Miyazu Toro Nagashi
Fireworks Festival

In Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture, Miyazu Toro Nagashi Fireworks Festival, one of Japan’s three major floating lanterns, is held every year on August 16th. Toro nagashi is a Japanese ceremony during the Bon festival in which participants float paper lanterns down a river or sea. It is one of the Buddhist events also called “Obon”. In Buddhism, it is believed that the spirits of family ancestors come back to this world during “Obon” period between July and August, and a series of events take place to welcome them. We send ancestors’ spirits off by releasing lighted lanterns to the sea. Lanterns on the water escort their spirits back to the world they belong. This fireworks display is a traditional event passed down from the Edo period and became its current form in 1924. It is considered to have its origin in that the offering goods were accompanied by small lights and shed into the sea to send the spirits of the ancestors welcomed during the Obon to Gokuraku Jodo (Sukhāvatī) again. The boats called Shorobune are also put to sea by people who lost a family member within a year. They are decorated with bon-lanterns and imitation flowers and are believed to hold the spirits of the deceased on board.

Ine Fireworks Festival

‘Ine Fireworks Festival’ is a feature in Ine town during summer. It is held every year on the last Saturday in August. The colorful fireworks illuminate Funaya boat houses that stand lined up along the bay fantastically. The local people watching the fireworks from Funaya boat houses gives big cheers when they are launched from the middle of Ine bay. It looks like a dream with so many fireworks shining in the majestic Sumi-toned sky like large, glittering flowers. Please appreciate the beautiful reflections of the fireworks light on a tranquil sea at night to the fullest.
On the day, you can also enjoy the movie projected on an overwater screen floating between the bay and the sky, or the stalls using local ingredients.

Note; The image for illustrative purposes only.