Abekawa Fireworks Festival 2026

Last updated: August 4, 2026. All facts below are compiled from official festival, city and tourism association websites (linked at the end of this page).

Abekawa Fireworks Festival 2026 is a Japanese fireworks festival (hanabi taikai) held on July 18, 2026 (Sat) in Shizuoka, Shizuoka.

Abekawa Fireworks Festival fireworks over Shizuoka, Japan — Photo: 江戸村のとくぞう, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The festival began in August 1953, in a city still rebuilding from wartime air raids: it was conceived both as a memorial to console the souls of the war dead and as a prayer for Shizuoka's recovery. After a lightning strike forced the 4th edition to be cancelled, strong local demand brought the festival back in July 1958, and it has been held on the Abe River ever since - reaching its 73rd edition in 2026, with a memorial service still held on the morning of each festival day.

Key Facts

Date	July 18, 2026 (Sat) — Officially confirmed
Time	19:30-21:00
Venue	Abe River riverbed (near Tamachi 3-chome), Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City
Nearest station	JR Abekawa Station / JR Shizuoka Station (bus)
Fireworks	Not announced
Admission	Free viewing areas
Official site	https://www.abekawa-hanabi.com/

Highlights

10,000-15,000 shells (officially planned) over 90 minutes - one of the largest fireworks displays in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Shells from 5-go up to 10-go (30 cm) and a program building from starmines to extra-large starmine barrages over the open riverbed.
The 2026 (73rd) edition opened with a roughly 15-minute drone show of about 1,300 drones before the fireworks began.
Completely free to watch - the festival has no paid seating at all, which is rare for a display of this size.
A festival with real meaning for the city: it began in 1953 to console the souls of those who died in the war and to pray for Shizuoka's postwar recovery, and a memorial service is still held at the river on the morning of the festival.

Where to Watch

Main riverbed venue (Tamachi side, Aoi Ward) (Free)

The heart of the festival is the wide dry riverbed of the Abe River around Tamachi 3-chome, on the city-center side of the river between Abekawa Bridge and Anzai Bridge. This is where the food stalls line up and where you watch the 10,000-15,000 shells go up more or less overhead. It is also where most of the roughly 570,000 visitors gather, so arrive well before the roads around the venue close at 17:00 if you want a good patch of gravel - and bring a sheet to sit on.
About 40 minutes on foot from JR Shizuoka Station; the organizers publish a walking-route map from the station

Opposite (west) bank of the Abe River (Free)

The far bank of the river faces the launch area straight on and is the natural choice if you are coming from JR Abekawa Station rather than central Shizuoka. You give up the stall-lined festival atmosphere of the main venue for a little more breathing room, with the same full view of the bursts over the river.
From JR Abekawa Station (Tokaido Line, one stop from Shizuoka); the organizers publish a walking-route map from this station too

Riverbank embankments up- and downstream (Free)

Because the launch site sits in an open riverbed with no tall buildings nearby, the grassy embankments stretching along both sides of the river also work as viewing spots. The farther you walk from the Tamachi core, the thinner the crowds get - a reasonable trade if you are arriving closer to the 19:30 start.
Walkable from either JR Shizuoka Station or JR Abekawa Station along the river

Getting There

The venue is the Abe River riverbed near Tamachi 3-chome in Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City. From JR Shizuoka Station (about 60 minutes from Tokyo by Tokaido Shinkansen to Shizuoka) it is roughly a 40-minute walk west; JR Abekawa Station, one local stop away, serves the opposite bank. The organizers publish official walking-route maps from both stations. There is no visitor parking and no shuttle bus, and roads around the venue are closed to traffic from about 17:00 to 22:00, so come by train and walk - the organizers also promote the city's share-cycle scheme as an option.

Crowd & Timing Tips

This is one of Shizuoka Prefecture's biggest summer events - about 570,000 people attended in 2024 - so treat it like a major Tokyo festival: arrive in the afternoon for a riverbed spot near the stalls, or by early evening for the embankments.
Roads around the venue close from around 17:00 to 22:00 and there is no parking or shuttle bus; JR Shizuoka Station (40 minutes on foot) and JR Abekawa Station are the practical ways in and out.
After the 21:00 finish, the walk back to JR Shizuoka Station moves slowly with the crowd - leaving a few minutes before the finale, or lingering by the river for a while afterwards, makes the trip back much easier.
The riverbed is gravel: bring a ground sheet, and note that summer evenings by the river can still be hot and humid, so carry water - stalls sell food and drinks but queues get long.

Weather Policy

The festival is cancelled outright in stormy weather, with no postponement date (kouten chuushi, enki nashi). Check the official website and the Shizuoka City page on the day if the forecast looks bad.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are the Abekawa fireworks, and what time do they start?

The 73rd Abekawa Fireworks Festival was held on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 19:30 to 21:00. The festival is held every year in mid-July on the Abe River in Shizuoka City - check the official site for each year's confirmed date.

Is the Abekawa Fireworks Festival free?

Yes - entirely. Unlike most displays of this size, there is no paid or reserved seating at all: everyone watches for free from the riverbed and embankments. That also means good spots go to those who arrive early.

How many fireworks are launched?

The organizers plan for 10,000 to 15,000 shells, ranging from 5-go shells up to 10-go (30 cm) shells, plus starmine and extra-large starmine sequences - one of the biggest displays in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Where is the best place to watch?

The main riverbed around Tamachi 3-chome (Aoi Ward side) puts you closest to the action and the food stalls but is the most crowded. The opposite bank, reached from JR Abekawa Station, and the embankments up- and downstream trade the festival bustle for more space.

How do I get there from Tokyo?

Take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Shizuoka Station (about 60 minutes from Tokyo on a Hikari), then walk about 40 minutes west to the river following the official route map. There is no parking and no shuttle bus, and roads around the venue close from about 17:00, so the train-plus-walk combination is the realistic option.

What happens if it rains?

Light rain is normally not a problem, but in stormy weather the festival is cancelled outright with no alternate date. The go/no-go announcement appears on the official website on the day.

See more fireworks in the area: Shizuoka Fireworks Festivals 2026 · Japan Fireworks Calendar 2026