This festival, held in the city of Arai during the month of July is an exciting fireworks festival. The festival is meant to express the fear and admiration for fire — thus these unusual cylinder-type fireworks are set off while being held in a person’s arms!
It’s an exciting festival, intoxicating participants and onlookers alike as the fireworks, which are set off at the Suwa Shrine, break the darkness of the night sky with their pillars of flame. Though traditionally a shrine festival and the rituals are still preserved, it has become pretty wild (though still perfectly safe) as it is now considered a way for modern day festival-goers to work off their pent-up energy.
Also, Ozutsu, a 5-meter long fireworks that shoot up 20-meters in the sky with a resounding “Boom!” are displayed. Traditional music is played on conch shells and drums as the high-spirited people of Arai, a town that has flourished since feudal times, participate enthusiastically.
Address and Contact:
Suwa Shrine Fireworks Festival
Kosai Municipal Elementary School Ground [Festival Ground] Arai town (Arai-cho), Nakanogo, Kosai City (Kosai-shi), Shizuoka 431-0301 Japan Tel: 053-594-8111
Website: http://www4.tokai.or.jp/horagai/
Kosai City Hall
3268 Kibi, Kosai, Shizuoka Prefecture 431-0441, Japan
Tel: 053-576-1111
Kosai City Hall, Arai Branch
519-1 Arai town (Arai-cho), Hamana, Kosai, Shizuoka Prefecture 431-0303 Japan TEL :053-594-1111 FAX :053-594-1113
Kosai City Website: http://www.city.kosai.shizuoka.jp/
Kosai City Chamber of Commerce Tourism Division
3268 Kibi, Kosai, Shizuoka Prefecture 431-0441, Japan Tel. 053-576-1230, FAX: 053-576-1115
E-mail: shou…@ms.city.kosai.shizuoka.jp
Website: http://www.city.kosai.shizuoka.jp/2299.htm
