Awaji Island Festival Fireworks

Hyogo · Fireworks festival

About four thousand shells over Ohama beach in Sumoto, held in November rather than midsummer.

Dates

8 November 2026

The 79th edition, fired from Ohama beach in Sumoto from 18:00.

Held in early November, over Ohama beach in Sumoto.

Dates checked against the official site on August 20, 2026

Most of Japan's coastal fireworks are packed into July and August, when the beaches are open and the humidity flattens everything. Sumoto moved its display to November, and the difference is easy to see: the air off the Kii channel is clear, the beach is empty enough to walk on, and the shells read sharply against a dark autumn sky. It is a half hour programme rather than a two hour one, fired close in from Ohama beach so the sound arrives with the light. Combined with an afternoon on the island, it makes an easier evening than the summer giants, where the travel is most of the effort.

Getting a good spot

Sumoto is reached by bus rather than train, most easily from Maiko on the Kobe side, and the buses back after the display are the constraint worth planning around. Ohama beach itself is wide enough that arriving an hour ahead is enough.

Where it happens

Ohama Beach Main site A 750-meter white sand beach in Sumoto, recognized as one of Japan's top beaches by the Ministry of Environment. Swim... Sumoto Castle Ruins A hilltop castle ruin on Awaji Island with Japan's oldest remaining concrete-built tenshu replica and sweeping views ... Awaji Island The largest island in the Seto Inland Sea, connected to Kobe by the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, known for onion farms, Naru...

Access

Common questions

When are the Awaji Island fireworks at Sumoto?

In early November, over Ohama beach in Sumoto, with the display starting around 18:00 and running about half an hour.

How do you get to Sumoto for the fireworks?

By highway bus, most easily from Maiko on the Kobe side, which takes about an hour to Sumoto bus centre and then five minutes on foot. There is no railway on Awaji Island, so plan the return bus before the display rather than after it.