2025 Fireworks Shows (Hanabi) in the Greater Tokyo area - Info
This is a general info and advice post for some 2025 fireworks shows in the Greater Tokyo area. I created a similar post last year but have updated many things for 2025, including many additional shows.
I'm posting this now because big shows are happening in Tokyo from late May this year. I expect the last big show to occur in November and so I intend to further update for Oct-Nov shows.
This post is basically focused on Tokyo and nearby places. This is for length as are literally thousands of shows nationwide. It's also mostly focusing on shows I've personally been to, so the recommendations are based on experience.
The key point of this post is to guide people towards good, ideally close spots to watch shows from. There may be some exceptions to this, but that's the general goal. Especially for tourists I think getting the event experience is also desirable in most cases. Crowding should thus be expected, I will generally try to recommend manageable spots, not the peak areas.
Anyone who wants to share their own tips and recommendations is encouraged to do so. I'm also happy to field questions about any show you may be interested in, nationwide. I'll try to help where I can, though I might not be speaking from personal experience.
**Fireworks/Hanabi Listing Sites**
The overall most comprehensive listing of shows across the country is here:
[https://hanabi.cloud](https://hanabi.cloud/)
It has year-round info (most other sites focus on the summer months) and covers the whole country. It's only in Japanese, but Chrome's auto-translate works reasonably well for it.
These sites have decent Tokyo focused listings in English, mainly focused on summer shows (July - Sept/Oct) though they might cover others:
[https://tokyocheapo.com/entertainment/tokyo-fireworks-festivals/](https://tokyocheapo.com/entertainment/tokyo-fireworks-festivals/)
[https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/tokyo-fireworks](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/tokyo-fireworks)
[https://www.gotokyo.org/en/story/guide/fireworks-guide/index.html](https://www.gotokyo.org/en/story/guide/fireworks-guide/index.html)
Some additional Japanese sites are below. They also have nationwide coverage, but are also mostly focused on late spring/summer shows.
[https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanabi/](https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanabi/)
[https://hanabi.walkerplus.com/](https://hanabi.walkerplus.com/)
**General Tips**
*Tickets*
Where tickets are available, I generally recommend you consider making a purchase. The money helps to keep the traditions alive and having tickets generally guarantees a reasonable viewing spot.
Word of warning - even if you have a ticket you may still get caught up in police restrictions if an area gets too crowded, so it's still recommended to go early (e.g. arriving at the viewing area at least 1 hour before the scheduled start).
*When to arrive*
If you don't have a ticket, getting to the viewing area early is common advice. It's indeed best to arrive at least 3-4 hours beforehand if you want reasonable choice of where to sit. However, if you are solo or just 2 people, finding some small space to sit between other group is often possible even close to a show's start time. It mainly depends on the show and the specific viewing area. Wide, flat, grassy areas are usually ok for this. Some areas, especially slopes or fenced/walled areas actually will be pretty close to having 0 room though.
*When to leave after the show*
Are you in a rush to get to another event/reservation? If not, then wait awhile before leaving. It can take time to simply leave the viewing area, and then the station may have a long queue/entry restrictions. Waiting 30 mins to 1 hour (or more) before leaving can give you a much calmer journey back. Other options are to leave the show a little early, before the finale (many do this), or to leave immediately, but walk up to the previous or next station along the line you need instead of following the crowd.
The main thing is, for Tokyo area shows, that there's usually no need to rush to leave as soon as the show finishes.
*Saving a spot (if no ticket)*
If you are able to get to an area early, then you can try saving your spot for the show. A leisure sheet/blanket and something to hold it in place are needed for this. This can be pegs, water bottles, large stones, cooler boxes, tripods, books, etc. Sheets, pegs and water bottles should be available in conbinis, 100Yen stores, Donki, etc.
For actually saving the spot, including where to place it, if it's your first time then follow the lead of the people around you. If other people are doing it, it's probably fine for you to do it in the same area too. The main exception to this is along paths, walkways (sometimes these are only indicated by poles and/or ropes), staircases, etc. If an area has 0 people/sheets down then it might be restricted or not have a decent view of the show.
In general, it's fine to leave your saved spot unattended, but be aware there is risk of your sheet not being where you left it when you return. Wind may blow a poorly secured sheet around, other attendees might inadvertently knock it out of position, a guard/staff member may remove it if it's in a restricted area, etc. At minimum you should ensure any sheet is well secured or weighed down before leaving it.
*Food/Drink*
Many shows and viewing areas have food stalls (yatai) on the grounds, but not all of them. But even where there's nothing official in the area, there will probably be some shops/stalls lining the route between the closest station(s) and the viewing areas. I would recommend picking up any food/drink from such a stall, or from a regular store, before you reach the viewing area, as even if the viewing area does have stalls the queues usually get very long. For max speed, it's best to pick up whatever you need in your 'home' area as stores very near the viewing area are likely to be quite busy.
*Toilets*
It is good to have an awareness of where the closest toilets are. Official viewing areas (ticketed and free) will often have portable toilets set up in reasonable locations. The queues for these often get quite long, but they will often still be the quickest option.
For unofficial areas, there might not be much available. Nearby convenience stores often restrict toilet usage on hanabi days, as will many supermarkets. A park may have available public toilets or else your only 'civilised' option may be the train station before/after the show.
*Other things to have*
Bug repellent/mosquito spray
Sunscreen
Heat protection goods, face towels, etc.
*Note*
For crowded shows, the phone networks get overloaded and signal strength can even drop to 0. Please bear this in mind.
**Show Recommendations (ordered by date)**
What follows are some recommendations for some shows based on my personal experience. It is not intended as an 'ULTIMATE YOU MUST DO THIS TO ENJOY THE SHOW' guide, just a sharing of some things that have worked for me (as someone prone to irritation in crowds/slow queues).
**Full Shows**
# Zushi Beach Fireworks
* May 22nd (Thu) - 7:30pm - 8:15pm * Location: * Zushi Beach * Station(s): Zushi, Zushi Hayama * 7,000 shots * Recommendation level - Mid/High * Links: * [https://zushihanabi.com/](https://zushihanabi.com/) * [https://tokyocheapo.com/events/zushi-beach-fireworks-festival/](https://tokyocheapo.com/events/zushi-beach-fireworks-festival/) * General point * This is usually the first 'big' show of the year in the Kanto region, and can be a nice way to end a visit to the Kamakura/Enoshima area. * Where to watch from * This is a beach show, with the fireworks launched 6-700m out into the bay. Pretty much any position on the beach will offer the best viewing angle. There are tickets available for the show, these will provide prime viewing spots at the front. Behind that should be free and it will attract a lot of people. * I'd recommend arriving at the beach by 18:00 (also for the sake of avoiding the worst of the crowds at the train station). Other reasonably close options (unofficial) may include the road running parallel to the beach (very good view still, but might be restricted) or Hayama Marina/Ohama Beach (angle not as good). * Getting back * Zushi (JR) and Zushi-Hayama (Keikyuu) are the only close options and they will be very busy. The show finishes at 8:15pm and the last trains back to Tokyo are around 11pm, so no need to rush. * Spot around here - [https://maps.app.goo.gl/po6Tft646HBEX61v7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/po6Tft646HBEX61v7)
# Star Island 2025 (2 days)
* Location * Odaiba, Tokyo * Stations: Odaiba-kaihin-kouen, Daiba, Tokyo Teleport, Shibaura Futo * May 24th (Sat) - 7:30pm - 9:00pm * May 25th (Sun) - 7:30pm - 9:00pm * Number of fireworks TBC, but probably in the 10,000+ scope each day * Recommendation level - High * Link: [https://star-island.jp/](https://star-island.jp/) * General points * One of the newer now regular shows in the Tokyo area. Star Island's concept is 'future hanabi entertainment' and it combines a full-sized fireworks show with a drone show and a cool troupe of [fire dancers](https://www.kaguzuchi.com/) and other performers. These extras are pretty uncommon for shows in Tokyo. The ticket prices are also pretty uncommon. * There are full shows on **both** the Saturday **and** the Sunday. Last year, the Saturday show was great, but the Sunday show was cancelled due to the weather. * Where to watch from * The ticketed area will offer the most complete view of all elements of the show - the fireworks, music, the drone show and the fire dancers on the beach. The drone show especially is usually angled to be viewed from the paid area, with fireworks going off behind it. This is the intended viewing experience. * It's usually possible to watch for free further west along the waterfront. Such spots are fine for the fireworks and some of the drone show and many will gather there. Alternatively, there's a small park, Shibaura Minato Futo Park, on the north side of the Rainbow Bridge that usually offers a great of the fireworks. It'll have less people than Odaiba, but it's a small park, so space is pretty limited. In either case, best to arrive by around 5:30-6pm I think. * Getting back * Yurikamome Line's Daiba or Odaiba-Kaihinkouen or the Tokyo Rinkai Kousoku Tetsudou Rinkai Line's Tokyo Teleport Station will all be very busy in the immediate aftermath. Going to one of the three shopping malls for some late food/drink is also an option before heading back, though you should be aware of last order timing. The Diver City food court was fine for me last year. * Spots around here: * Odaiba - [https://maps.app.goo.gl/pYWo56ueoihNgHTY6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/pYWo56ueoihNgHTY6) * Shibaura - [https://maps.app.goo.gl/JReTLEdqsAoqubWy8](https://maps.app.goo.gl/JReTLEdqsAoqubWy8)
# Adachi Fireworks
* Location: * Arakawa riverside, Adachi, Tokyo * Station(s): Kita-Senju, Kosuge, Gotanno, Umejima * May 31st (Sat) - 7:20pm - 8:20pm * 13,000 shots * Recommendation level - High * [https://www.adachikanko.net/en/adachi\_no\_hanabi47](https://www.adachikanko.net/en/adachi_no_hanabi47) * General point * This usually mid-July show was cancelled due to a sudden thunder storm last year (which I was caught in). For this year, they've moved the timing of the show up to May 31st to avoid the summer heat and unstable weather conditions. Though earlier, it remains one of the biggest shows in the city. * Where to watch from * Viewing area map and ticket link: [https://www.adachikanko.net/en/adachi\_no\_hanabi47\_ticket](https://www.adachikanko.net/en/adachi_no_hanabi47_ticket) * It's a wide (200m) show, so from the front or back is best (i.e. not from a side angle). Prime positions on either side of river will be ticketed and prices are not unreasonable. I'd recommend the south side if you are buying a ticket. It's closest to the fireworks and will be more intense. * For free watching, the north side of the river has more space with a 'good' viewing angle in my opinion, though the south side is easier for most to reach. From the link above, anywhere between the staircases labelled 18 and 22 should be good. The flat areas usually fill up slower than the slopes, but either's fine I'd say. At least 2 hours+ before is recommended if you want some choice. Closest stations are Kosuge, Gotanno or Umejima. * Getting back * Best to wait awhile before heading back if there's no rush. Entry into all stations may get restricted, but getting to Kita-Senju is likely to be worst. * Spot around here - [https://maps.app.goo.gl/5G86c4eenyCU87tn9](https://maps.app.goo.gl/5G86c4eenyCU87tn9)
# Tokyo Racecourse Fireworks 2025