Hanabi 8 Fireworks
小山花火
Hanabi 8 Fireworks is a fireworks festival held in Tochigi. Date: Usually the last Sunday in July; from 2025 the date moved to autumn and the 2026 edition was held on 3 October (Sat). Total shells: about 約2万. Attendance: 約45万人. No. 74
Event essentials
Headline stats
- Total Shells
- 約2万
- Duration
- 60 min
- Nights
- 1 night(s)
- Attendance
- 約45万人
- Largest Shell
- Extra-large set-piece firework, large and extra-large wide star mines
- Founding Year
- 1953
Signature Sequences
- 01The Shigawa, the river that is the city's mother, is the venue
- 02Star mines, set-piece fireworks, a Niagara waterfall and citizen fireworks
- 03Spectators watch from the riverside itself, at very close range
- 04A star mine for every sponsor company, one after another
- 05The date moved to autumn from 2025; the 2026 edition was held on 3 October
Venue & Access
- Time Window
- Ceremony at 18:00, firing from 18:05, finish around 19:00 in 2026
- Venue
- The Omi Bridge riverside on the Shigawa River, Oyama City
- Address
- Omi Bridge riverside on the Shigawa, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture 36.318251°N, 139.797588°E
- Venue Size
- Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-20 pass)
- Venue Floor Type
- A riverbed with embankments and lawn
- Gates Open
- Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-20 pass)
- Paid-Seat Holder Entry
- Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-20 pass)
- Spectator Capacity
- About 450,000 (typical attendance)
- Launch Company
- Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-20 pass)
- Production Company
- Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-20 pass)
- Sponsor
- Organiser: the Oyama Fireworks Executive Committee, whose office sits inside the city's commerce and tourism division. The chair of the executive committee for 2026 is Toru Ootaka, chairman of the Oyama City Tourism Association.
Access
Venue map
View on Google MapsFrom major cities
- From Tokyo
- About one hour and forty minutes by JR limited express on the Utsunomiya line from Shinjuku to JR Oyama. The display starts at 18:00, so an early departure is advised.
- From Osaka
- About three hours by JR limited express on the Utsunomiya line from Osaka to JR Oyama. The display starts at 18:00, so an early departure is advised.
- From Sendai
- About one hour by Tohoku Shinkansen to Sendai, then on through the Tohoku and Mito lines to JR Oyama. The display starts at 18:00, so travel in the morning is advised.
- Nearest Station
- JR Oyama station, eight minutes from the west exit
- Nearest Shinkansen
- Oyama station, on the Utsunomiya line from the Tohoku Shinkansen
- Local Transit
- JR Oyama station is the nearest, eight minutes from the west exit according to the official pages, which recommend public transport because car parks are limited.
- Parking
- No capacity figure is given for the pay-by-phone kerbside spaces. The official pages recommend public transport because the number of spaces is limited.
- Parking Reservation
- The kerbside car parks are paid and must be booked in advance; the official site has a separate page for them.
- Lodging Strategy
- Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-20 pass)
- English Access
- The official pages are Japanese only. JR Oyama station is close and public transport access is good. Tickets have to be bought in advance and the ticket machines are expected to be busy.
- Cash Required
- The paid viewing seats and the car parks cost money; cash is the usual way to pay at the food stalls.
- Best Arrival
- Aim to arrive before 17:00 to beat the ticket machines and the station concourse and be in place for the 18:00 ceremony.
- Peak Crowd
- The busiest moment is the 18:00 ceremony and the start of the firing. The official pages warn about the ticket machines and the station concourse.
Tickets
- Seat Type
- Table and chair seats, premium reclining seats, pair steps, steps, bench seats, lawn seats, camera seats, city hall west-corridor seats, round table seats and free lawn seats.
- Price Range
- Paid viewing seats run from 1,000 yen (free lawn seats) to 36,000 yen (table and chair seat area A).
- Seat Count
- A table and chair seat takes up to six people, a lawn seat up to four, and a round table seat up to four. seats
- Sellout History
- The official page announces that areas A and B are sold out and only area C is still available.
- Reservation
- Paid viewing seats are booked on the cnplayguide official page; the official car parks are booked in advance.
- Day-Of Ticket
- Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-20 pass)
Weather Policy
- Rain
- Held in rain; cancelled in stormy weather.
- Decision Time
- Cancelled in stormy weather; announced on the day in the official news list.
- Postponement
- Cancelled in stormy weather, with no postponement date set.
- Wind Threshold
- Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-20 pass)
- Typical Risks
- The move to October was made to counter heat stroke. In stormy weather the event is cancelled and there is no postponement.
- Weather Cancellation History
- In 2025 the date was moved to autumn to counter heat stroke; in stormy weather the event is cancelled.