Hey I was the fireworks too, well only the beginning cuz i had to leave early
well, after seeing your post i was wondering wht i hadnt mentioned them
so i decided to give you some details of other events happening over the next ten days or so, i hope you get the chance to attend some of them.
Also I recommend going to Harajuku to check out the cosplay girls
the weekend is usually best but as this is the summer holidays maybe anyday is ok, you will finf the biggest group at the entrance to yoyogi park and if its a sunday youll also be able to see some rock-a-billy dancer and inside the shrine (Meiji Shrine) you may even be able to catch a traditional wedding
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Yugawara "Yassa Matsuri" Festival
Date : Sunday July 31 and Tuesday Aug. 2 - Wednesday Aug. 3
Location : Throughout the area around Yugawara station
Access: Get off at Yugawara station (JR Tokaido Line).
A samba parade is featured on Sunday July 31 and a "Yassa odori" dance parade is featured on Tuesday Aug. 2 - Wednesday Aug. 3. Following a marching band, "Yassa odori" dancers, dragon dancers, and people pulling a flower-decorated float and carrying a portable shrine parade in a lively fashion through Yugawara Hot Spring Resort Town.
For details, contact Yugawara Town Tourism Division (Tel 0465-63-2111).
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Honmoku "Ouma Nagashi" Ceremony of the Horses
Date : Saturday Aug. 6 - Sunday Aug. 7
Location: Honmoku Jinja Shrine and new Honmoku Fishing Port, Naka Ward, Yokohama City
Access: Approximately 10-minute bus ride from Negishi station (JR Negishi Line); get off at San-no-tani stop.
This rich traditional festival at Honmoku dates back to the Muromachi era (1392 - 1573) and features six "Ouma" horses made of green reeds. Each of the "Ouma" horses is approximately one meter long, has a head of a horse on a body of a turtle, and is believed to prevent bad luck. In addition to the holy rituals of "Ouma-mukae" to welcome the "Ouma" horses at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday Aug. 6 and "Ouma-okuri" to see them off at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday Aug. 7, the festival features a "Bon odori" dancing event and an "en-nichi" fair.
For details, contact Honmoku Jinja Shrine (Tel 045-621-7611).
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Yokosuka "Kaikoku-sai" Festival 2005
Date : Saturday Aug. 6 - Sunday Aug. 7
Location: Yokosuka Chuo-Odori Avenue, Verny Park, Umikaze Seaside Park, "Nagasaka ground" football field, and other places
Access: Get off at Yokosuka-chuo station or Shioiri station (Keikyu Line).
Yokosuka is known as the "city representing the opening of Japan to the world" and this festival is a major event that started in 2003 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Admiral Matthew C. Perry from the U.S.A.
Saturday Aug. 6:
- "Kaikoku" country-opening parade featuring a Western Black Ship float, enactment of historical events, and a marching band
- "Kaikoku Dancin'" - Colorful team dancing contest
Sunday Aug. 7:
- "Kaikoku Daihachi Cart Race" - A race of Japanese traditional "Daihachi" carts carrying red bricks representing Western civilization
- "Kaikoku Fireworks Display" featuring approximately 10,000 fireworks including the golden midair Niagara Falls
For details contact Yokosuka City Tourism Division (Tel 046-822-8294).
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Ooi "Yosakoi" Gourd Festival
Date : Saturday Aug. 6 - Sunday Aug. 7
Location: Ooi town hall parking lot, surrounding streets including Keyaki-dori, and other places, Ooi Town
Access: Approximately 12-minute walk from Kami-ooi station (JR Gotenba Line); a shuttle bus service is available.
This is a major festival held in Ooi Town during the best gourd-viewing period. Gourds can be seen throughout the town including at Kami-ooi station and Keyaki-dori in front of the town hall. A festival eve party is held on Saturday Aug. 6, and the festival features a colorful dancing contest on Sunday Aug. 7 with approximately 30 teams of 1,200 dancers participating.
For details contact Ooi Town Industry and Tourism Division (Tel 0465-85-5013).
[Top]
"Bombori Matsuri" Festival
Date : Saturday Aug. 6 - Tuesday Aug. 9
Location: Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu Shrine, Yukinoshita, Kamakura City
Access: Approximately 10-minute walk from Kamakura station (JR Yokosuka Line).
Approximately 400 Japanese traditional "Bombori" paper lanterns featuring calligraphy and paintings by celebrities related to Kamakura are displayed in the precinct of Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu Shrine. The view of candle-lit "Bombori" lanterns at night is absolutely mesmerizing. They are lit between approximately 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
For details, contact Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu Shrine (Tel 0467-22-0315).
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And if you want to see more fireworks
<Date>August 2 (Tue.)
<Location>On Lake Ashi, Moto-Hakone
<Time>20:00 - 20:30
<Number of fireworks>1,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Canceled
<Access>approximately 60-minute by bus to Moto-Hakone bus stop
from East Gate of Odawara station
<Date>August 3 (Wed.)
<Location>On Lake Ashi, Hakone
<Time>20:00 - 20:30
<Number of fireworks>1,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until August 5 (Fri.)
<Access>approximately 60-minute by bus to terminal bus stop for
Hakone-Machi from East Gate of Odawara station
<Date>August 4 (Thu.)
<Location>On Lake Ashi, Kojiri
<Time>19:30 - 20:30,
<Number of fireworks>2,500
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until August 9 (Tue.)
<Access>approximately 60-minute by bus to terminal bus stop for
Kojiri from East Gate of Odawara station
<Date>August 6 (Sat.)
<Location>On Lake Ashi, Hakone-en
<Time>20:00 - 20:30
<Number of fireworks>1,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until the following day
<Access>approximately 80-minute by bus to terminal bus stop for
Hakone-en from East Gate of Odawara station
<Date>August 7 (Sun.)
<Location>On Lake Ashi, Hakone-en
<Time>20:00 - 20:30
<Number of fireworks>1,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until August 10 (Wed.)
<Access>80-minute by bus to terminal bus stop for Hakone-en
from East Gate of Odawara station
<Information>Hakone Town Tourist Association (Tel 0460-5-5700)
<Date>August 2 (Tue.)
<Name of Festival>Enoshima Fireworks Festival
<Location>Katase-Nishihama and Mouth of Sakai-gawa River
at Fujisawa City
<Time>19:15 - 20:15
<Number of fireworks>5,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until the following day
<Access>Katase-Enoshima station (Odakyu line), Enoshima station
(Enoden line) or Shonan-Enoshima station (Shonan Monorail line)
<Information>Enoshima Tourist Information Center (Tel 0466-24-4141)
<Date>August 3 (Wed.)
<Name of Festival>The 25th Miura Beach Noryo Fireworks Festival
<Location>Coast of Miura Beach at Miura City
<Time>19:30 - 20:30
<Number of fireworks>3,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until the following day
<Access>approximately 3-minute walk from Miura-kaigan station
(Keikyu line)
<Information>Miura City Tourist Association (Tel 046-888-0588)
<Date>August 3 (Wed.)
<Name of Festival>The 49th Yugawara-Spa Fireworks Festival on The Sea
<Location>Coast of Yugawara Beach at Yugawara Town
<Time>20:00 - 20:40
<Number of fireworks>2,500
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until August 6 (Sat.)
<Access>approximately 10-minute by bus to Umi-no-ie bus stop
for Manazuru station or Odawara station from Yugawara station
(JR Tokaido line)
<Information>Yugawara Town Tourist section (Tel 0465-63-2111)
<Date>August 5 (Fri.)
<Name of Festival>Lake Ashi Torii Burning and Fireworks
<Location>on Lake Ashi at Hakone,Hakone Town
<Time>19:30 - 20:30
<Number of fireworks>3,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until August 12 (Fri.)
<Access>approximately 60-minute by bus to Terminal for Hakone-Machi
from East Gate of Odawara station
<Information>Hakone Town Tourist Association (Tel 0460-5-5700)
<Date>August 6 (Sat.)
<Name of Festival>The 59th Atsugi Ayu Festival Fireworks
<Location>The confluence of Sagami River and the Other Rivers
at Atsugi City
<Time>19:00 - 20:40
<Number of fireworks>10,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until the following day
<Access>approximately 10-minute walk from Hon-Atsugi station
(Odakyu line)
<Information>Atsugi City Tourist Association (Tel 046-228-1131)
<Date>August 6 (Sat.)
<Name of Festival>The 32nd Southern Beach Chigasaki Fireworks Festival
<Location>Southern Beach Chigasaki at Chigasaki City
<Time>19:20 - 20:30
<Number of fireworks>3,500
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until the following day
<Access>approximately 20-minute walk from South Gate
Chigasaki station (JR Tokaido line)
(special buses for the festival place will run)
<Information>Chigasaki City Tourist Association (Tel 0467-84-0377)
<Date>August 6 (Sat.)
<Name of Festival>The 16th Odawara Sakawa River Fireworks Festival
<Location>Sakawa River Sports Ground at Odawara City
<Time>19:30 - 20:20
<Number of fireworks>4,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until August 8 (Mon.)
<Access>approximately 15-minute walk from Kamonomiya station
(JR Tokaido line)
<Information>Odawara City Tourist Association (Tel 0465-22-5002)
<Date>August 7 (Sun.)
<Name of Festival>Yokosuka Kaikoku-sai Festival Fireworks Display
<Location>the offing of Umikaze-Koen Park, the offing of
Yokosuka new harbor at Yokosuka City (U.S. Navy Yokosuka Base is
opened partly for inspection from about 10:00.)
<Time>19:30 - 20:10
<Number of fireworks>10,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until the following day
<Access>approximately 15-minute walk from Yokosuka-chuo station or
Shioiri station (Keikyu line)
<Information>Yokosuka City Tourist Section (Tel 046-822-8294)
<Date>August 7 (Sun.)
<Name of Festival>The 29th Ashigara
Kintaro Festival
<Location>Fujiwara Norishige historical park at Nuda,
Minamiashigara City
<Time>20:40 - 21:00
<Number of fireworks>500
<In Case of Bad Weather>Canceled
<Access>approximately 5-minute walk from Daiyuzan station
(Daiyuzan line)
<Information>Minamiashigara City Industry, Commerce and Tourist Section
(Tel 0465-73-8031)
<Date>August 9 (Tue.)
<Name of Festival>The 57th Kamakura Fireworks Festival
<Location>Yuigahama Beach at Kamakura City
<Time>19:00 - 20:15
<Number of fireworks>2,900
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until the following day
<Access>approximately 15-minute walk from Kamakura station
(JR Yokosuka line) or 5-minute walk from Wadazuka station or
Yuigahama station (Enoden line)
<Information>Kamakura City Tourist Association (Tel 0467-23-3050)
<Date>August 10 (Wed.)
<Name of Festival>The 15th Samukawa Noryo Fireworks Festival
<Location>Kamikawa Bridge over flood plain at lower reaches of
Sagami River at Samukawa Town
<Time>19:30 - 20:30
<Number of fireworks>2,000
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until the following day
<Access>approximately 20-minute walk from Samukawa station
(JR Sagami line)
<Information>Samukawa Town Tourist Association (Tel 0467-75-9051)
<Date>August 10 (Wed.)
<Name of Festival>The 23rd Lake Tanzawa Fireworks Festival
<Location>Around Lake Tanzawa at Yamakita Town
<Time>20:00 - 20:45
<Number of fireworks>2,500
<In Case of Bad Weather>Postponed until the following day
<Access>approximately 50-minute by bus from Shinmatsuda station
(Odakyu line) or 40-minute by bus from Yamakita station
(JR Gotenba line) to Tanzawa-Ko bus stop
<Information>Yamakita Town Industry and Tourist Section
(Tel 0465-75-3646)