Shinshu Chikuma River Fireworks Festival (Chikuma River waterfront)

Flow of the course

About this spot

The Shinshu Chikuma River Fireworks Festival is one of Nagano Prefecture's leading summer fireworks displays, held along the Chikuma River waterfront between Taisho Bridge and Manyo Bridge near Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen. About 10,000 fireworks launch one after another into the night sky, their sound echoing through the mountain-ringed basin with overwhelming power that resonates to your core. The beauty of the fireworks reflected upside-down on the Chikuma River's calm surface is also a specialty unique to a riverside venue. Against the atmospheric night backdrop of a hot spring town, this display of light coloring Shinshu's summer sky keeps you riveted all the way to the climax, when the finale's rapid bursts light up the entire sky and river together. The 90 minutes where the murmur of the river overlaps with the sound of the fireworks becomes a summer memory unique to Shinshu that you can't find in the city.

Fireworks details

Tips

Check in advance with Chikuma City or the event's official announcements whether it will go ahead in case of severe weather. Afterward, nearby roads and parking lots get very crowded. It's a good idea to enjoy the afterglow along the riverbank for a while after the finale before heading home at a staggered time. Some stretches on the way back toward Togura Station on the Shinano Railway are dimly lit, so carrying a small light makes it safer.

Best time to visit

Time your visit to the 7:30-9:00pm event. A spot where you can see the river's surface lets you enjoy the upside-down reflection too. Secure your spot 30 minutes before the start

Access & map

Chikuma River waterfront, Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen, Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture (between Taisho Bridge and Manyo Bridge)