NaraLeisure

Shiba Athletic Park (芝運動公園)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: Walk and snack on local specialties like mugwort mochi on the stone-paved approach street, and enjoy the atmosphere in front of the Nio Gate

About 30 min from the previous stop

About 140 min here

About 10 min to the next stop

Next stop: Approximately 2,000 fireworks light up Yamato's night sky at the Onpara Matsuri Festival Fireworks Display

About this spot

Sakurai City Shiba Athletic Park (桜井市芝運動公園), the launch site for the Onpara Matsuri Festival Fireworks Display, is a spacious grassy park adjacent to Tsunakoshi Shrine. On the evening of the fireworks festival, food stalls line the surrounding area, creating a vibrant summer festival atmosphere. After grabbing festival staples like shaved ice and yakisoba noodles, secure your viewing location with a leisure sheet before sunset. The sight of Tsunakoshi Shrine's forest transitioning from rose-colored to deep indigo as dusk falls is a quiet beauty seen only before the fireworks begin. After 7 PM, conversations naturally become hushed, and the solemn atmosphere before the festival fireworks begins to permeate the air.

Tips

Approximately 20-25 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Sakurai Station or JR Sakurai Station, or about 5 minutes by taxi. On the fireworks festival day, surrounding roads become congested, so a combination of train and taxi or walking is advisable. Popular food items may sell out early, so secure your meal soon after arrival. Use restroom facilities within the park early in the evening.

Best time to visit

Approximately 2 hours 20 minutes required. The evening hours offer a chance to enjoy both the changing colors of the sky around sunset and the festival's lively atmosphere together.

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