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| Figure 1: Fireworks display for the 2025 Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival (Source: Taito City) |
Today marks the commemoration of the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival (Figure 1). This annual festival is celebrated in Tokyo, Japan on the last Saturday of July. It has existed for over 250 years, although celebrated off and on during that time for various years. Today’s blog post will address the origins, purpose, and changing values of the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival.
The Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival was originally called the Ryogoku River Opening ceremony. The first event occurred in 1773 and was initiated by the 8th shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune. This military leader of Japan’s reign had been fraught with challenges. The year before over a million Japanese perished as a result of extreme famine and a cholera epidemic. The survivors were fraught with various emotions a year later, leading the shogun to take action to alleviate their concerns and fears. He felt that a fireworks festival would be the best course of action, and he chose this specific time of the year for two reasons. First, it coincided with another festival, the opening of the rivers or new ports, which brought about blessings to fishermen and people who used the rivers as ceremonies and dedications to the river and water gods were provided. Second, this time of the year was also when the Japanese would honor their dead. Tokugawa Yoshimune combined the two events, declaring this the best time to appease the spirits of the dead who perished over the previous year and calling upon the water and river gods to bless the people as they moved forward post-tragedy.
Fireworks were chosen as a means of celebration because they were an important part of Japanese culture as fireworks originated in Japan. The large fiery displays also required people to come together to watch them, promoting a sense of togetherness and community. Initially, a small number of fireworks displays were provided, but over time the number and types of displays expanded. Rich noblemen competed to provide the best fireworks displays for the people, which aided them in increasing their social status among the people.
For a brief time the fireworks displays were banned out of concerns for the hazards they caused in burning the homes and wooden structures of Tokyo. Rather than abandon the tradition altogether fireworks manufacturers developed safer fireworks. This allowed the fireworks festival to continue. This also led to even greater innovations, including the creation of fireworks that the general public could use. Child safe fireworks, such as the sparklers, were developed and available, which also meant that the nobility did not need to compete for social status through this festival. This led to an expansion of who could participate in the fireworks celebrations, leading to greater number of people attending and providing their own fireworks displays.
The Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival continued over the decades, briefly pausing ss various national and international conflicts occurred. Despite these interruptions the festival grew and evolved as Japanese culture evolved. In the 1970s the festival was rebranded to its current name, and within a few decades the reinvigoration of the fireworks competition took place. Now it is fireworks companies that engage in the competition, which they use as a means of introducing new fireworks products and displays. Japan has also opened this festival up as a tourism marketing opportunity, encouraging foreigners to engage in the festivities.
Works Cited
Japan National Tourism Organization. Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival. n.d. Electronic. 12 May 2026.
Jimura, Takamitsu. "Events and intangible cultural heritage." A research agenda for event impacts. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2022. 117-127.
Liu-Brennana, Damien and Tadao Yoshidab. "Fireworks on the Sumida River." Journal of Pyrotechnics (2009): 3-15. Print.
Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau. 48th Sumida River Fireworks Festival. 26 July 2025. Electronic. 12 May 2026.
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