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Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival

諏訪湖祭湖上花火大会

Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival is a fireworks festival held in Nagano. Date: August 15 (Obon-tied — 8/15 is the closing date of Obon week, and lake fireworks are a fixed annual tradition). Total shells: about 40000. Attendance: 約500,000人（2010年 基準値 — Wikipedia JA）. No. 78回

Event essentials

Headline stats

Total Shells
40000
Duration
120 min
Nights
1 night(s)
Attendance
約500,000人（2010年 基準値 — Wikipedia JA）
Largest Shell
10号玉 from Hatsushima artificial island + 20号・30号 (water starmine, revived 2006)
Founding Year
1949

Signature Sequences

  1. 01'Part 1: 10号 rapid-fire competition (10号玉5発を次々打ち上げ) — competitive 10 firms × 2 categories'
  2. 02'Part 1: Starmine competition (規定量による美しさを競う)'
  3. 03'Part 2: Kiss of Fire (水上大スターマイン) — half-moon chrysanthemum on lake surface, approaches Hatsushima, finishes with 10号 rapid-fire from island'
  4. 04'Part 2: 大ナイアガラ瀑布 — 2km water starmine, Japan''s longest (湖上に出現する日本最長)'
  5. 05Largest fireworks by shell count in Japan (~40,000) — 打ち上げ数では国内最大
  6. 06Reflection on lake surface — half-moon chrysanthemum visible in water mirror
  7. 07Japan's longest water-starmine Niagara Falls (2km on lake surface)
  8. 08Two-part competitive + spectacle structure unique to Suwa
  9. 0910 starmine launch platforms on lake + artificial island Hatsushima
  10. 10'Trademarked "諏訪湖の花火" (2026) — first regional fireworks to trademark'

Venue & Access

Time Window
19:00–21:00 JST (typical two-hour show; 2026 official "8/15 19:00-")
Venue
Lake Suwa (諏訪湖) — offshore launch platforms including artificial island Hatsushima (初島) and 10 starmine firing bases
Address
長野県諏訪市 湖畔公園前 諏訪湖上 (Lake Suwa off Lakeside Park, Suwa, Nagano) 36.047818°N, 138.111811°E
Venue Size
Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-21 pass)
Venue Floor Type
水面発射 — 湖上（Lake launch; no ground surface）
Gates Open
開門時刻は公式が「決定次第、ホームページ上でご案内します」と公示（2026年）
Paid-Seat Holder Entry
開門時刻は公式の大会概要ページで後日案内（2026年は未確定）
Spectator Capacity
Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-21 pass)
Production Company
第1部競技花火 10社（長野県内5社・県外5社）＋ 第2部大スターマインを複数社が担当（社名は非公表）
Sponsor
Suwa City Tourism Association (諏訪市観光協会),Suwa City (諏訪市),Suwa Chamber of Commerce (諏訪商工会議所),Suwa Lake Onsen Ryokan Association (諏訪湖温泉旅館協同組合),'2026 onwards: Trademarked "諏訪湖の花火" jointly held by the 4 above organizations (joint ownership)'

Access

Venue map

View on Google Maps

From major cities

From Tokyo
特急あずさ (Azusa limited express) Shinjuku → Kami-Suwa ~2 hours; or 特急あずさ + 諏訪湖花火大会号 (late-night special return train); Tokyo/Chiba → Azusa direct service
From Osaka
Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-21 pass)
From Sendai
Not confirmed in the sources checked (2026-10-21 pass)
Nearest Station
JR Chuo Main Line Kami-Suwa Station (上諏訪駅) — special express 諏訪湖花火大会号 (Azusa/Alps) from Tokyo/Shinjuku/Chiba
Nearest Shinkansen
No direct Shinkansen to Suwa; nearest = 長野駅 (Hokuriku Shinkansen) + しなの鉄道 transfer ~1h, or Tokyo via Azusa limited express ~2h
Local Transit
Walk from Kami-Suwa Station ~10-15 min to lakefront; local bus supplementary
Parking
Multiple city/municipal temporary parking lots (小中学校校庭 etc.) — but akippa pre-reservation recommended since 2023
Parking Reservation
yes — akippa pre-reservation system since 2023; traffic improved post-implementation
Lodging Strategy
Suwa Onsen (上諏訪温泉) hot-spring ryokan are the standard — book 3-6 months ahead for Aug 15; alternative bases: 松本 (Matsumoto, 30 min by JR), 岡谷 (Okaya, 10 min by JR)
English Access
yes — Japanese online platforms; 国際向け放映 (Japan News English internet broadcast) since 2012
Cash Required
yes (food stalls; some ticket booths)
Best Arrival
16:00 for paid seats; 17:00-18:00 for free viewing; 14:00 for premium free spots (立石公園 etc.)
Peak Crowd
Part 1 finale + Part 2 (Kiss of Fire at ~20:30, Niagara at ~21:00)

Tickets

Weather Policy

Rain
cancelled-if-severe-weather
Decision Time
Day-of morning announcement (typical Nagano mountain-region pattern)
Postponement
No postponement; severe weather = cancel (2013 mid-event cancellation was precedent)
Wind Threshold
Typical threshold ~10 m/s (consistent with regional festivals)
Typical Risks
Mid-August Nagano mountain thunderstorms (afternoon-evening); residual typhoon approach (rare mid-Aug but possible); lake-effect humidity
Weather Cancellation History
2013: Mid-event cancellation (19:30) due to lightning + heavy rain,1959: Postponed twice (Sep, then Oct) due to typhoon,'2026 8/15 forecast: くもり、夜のはじめ頃まで雷を伴う激しい雨 (Nagano Meteorological Office 8/15 17:00) — heat index WBGT 22.5 (注意)'

Sources and verification

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