2026 Uji Garrison Cool Summer Festival Fireworks - Full-Day Immersion Course

On July 20, 2026 (Monday), the JSDF Uji Garrison Cool Summer Festival Fireworks become the centerpiece of a full-day course to experience the ancient capital of Uji, dotted with UNESCO World Heritage temples and shrines. Enjoy matcha sweets at the Uji-bashi-dori Shopping Street in the morning, then encounter the beautiful Byodo-in Temple Phoenix Hall, as familiar from the 10-yen coin. Next, pay your respects at Ujigami Shrine, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and feel the quiet presence of its main hall, said to be Japan's oldest existing shrine building. At Uji Park, which spreads across islands in the Uji River, visit Tower Island and walk among its thirteen-tiered stone pagoda while enjoying the river breeze. In the evening, secure your viewing spot near the garrison while enjoying dinner, and as the sun sets, look up at the night sky. At 7:50 PM, the garrison's summer festival fireworks begin, lighting the sky until 9:00 PM as a family outing. This is Uji's definitive plan—combining a leisurely historical walk through Japan's tea country with fireworks that color the summer night. The riverside areas receive little shade during the day, so plan regular breaks and stay hydrated as you walk.