Start circling the dates for fireworks season now

It’s a summer night. You’re sitting on the beach with loved ones, a chocolate-covered banana in hand, watching a series of fireworks paint the sky right before your eyes.

A swarm of people surrounds you, applauding after each explosion rings out. Many are dressed in yukata, the summer kimono whose prints often mimic the colorful display above.

This exact scene (give or take the banana) is what summer has meant to generations of Japanese for hundreds of years. When night falls and the hot weather abates, revelers will head to the nearest beach or riverside to marvel at the spectacle of what are known here as hanabi (literally, “fire flowers”).

Invented in China, the first fireworks appeared on these shores in 1613. Their artistry is taken very seriously, with fireworks families such as the Tamayas and Kagiyas making the illuminations since the Edo Period (1603-1868). Nowadays, fireworks are synonymous with a Japanese summer. Just like matsuri — the local festivals that feature dancing, taiko drumming and dressing up in yukata with a pair of geta shoes — come mid-July a hanabi taikai (fireworks display) will likely be on the must-see list for every family and young couple in town.

If you’ve spent a summer in Japan, you’ll know the drill. For the rest of you, many hanabi taikai are put on by local tourist guilds as a way to bring visitors to a region or prefecture — some are famous enough to attract people from the other side of the country.

The friendly atmosphere on the ground is almost unparalleled, with the streets lined with vendors operating yatai (street stalls) that sell such dishes as yaki-soba (fried soba noodles), takoyaki (fried octopus dumplings) and, of course, chocolate-covered bananas.

While the majority of Japan’s hanabi taikai are aimed at giving residents a chance to let off steam after a sweltering summer day, some take the “taikai” part of the name more seriously (the word on its own means “tournament”) and will pit different firework companies against each other to see who can create the best, most symmetric explosion in the sky. Some of the largest competitions are in Nagaoka, Nagano Prefecture on Aug. 2 and 3, and in Kumano, Mie Prefecture, on Aug. 17. These occasions are essentially a free pass for firework companies to get creative, and may include music or incorporate newer types of fireworks, such as those without debris.

In fact, technology has been playing a bigger part in many firework eventsfor the past few years. The Tokyo-based company Maruyama Fireworks, for instance, has been collaborating with a drone operator since 2021 to create a joint firework and drone-light display for the capital’s soccer club, FC Tokyo. Maruyama President Toshikatsu Ogatsu touts the ability of drones to stay in the sky for a longer period of time, and believes they will play additional roles at events in the future — like directing the crowd toward the exits after the main show is over.

Some direction would be nice, too — the crowds at a summer fireworks festival can be intense. As most of these events are free, it’s understandable that they’ll attract a lot of spectators. Checking public transport before you go is strongly advised: Remember that these fireworks festivals are held in places that are fairly sleepy towns for the remainder of the year, so infrequent local transport could be all you have. Once the display has finished, expect to queue for trains before heading home, or plan to leave a little earlier to escape the rush. Also, be sure to charge your Suica or Pasmo, or buy your ticket home, before you arrive at the festival site. It’ll save you time standing in line for a ticket later on.

On the topic of taikai tips, packing a blue tarp or picnic blanket, and arriving early so that you get a good spot, is also recommended. That way you can set up camp and create a base for all your pals to return to after they’ve ducked off for some mid-show drinks or snacks. Some hanabi taikai will even offer ticketed seats, so it’s worth checking if those are on offer if you’re looking for the best view. Finally, remember to bring some cash as the yatai don’t take cards or electronic money, and the line at the ATM will be very long.

All that’s left is to find out when your neck of the woods will be having its hanabi taikai. If you’re looking for true fireworks experiences, one of Japan’s largest and oldest, the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival, takes place July 27 in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward. Displays are held at Atami Beach irregularly throughout August (the next is on July 26), and if you’d like to avoid too big of a crowd, then try a smaller festival like the Itabashi Fireworks held next to the Arakawa River on Aug. 3 or Ota Ward’s festival on Aug. 15. The 36th Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks will be held in Osaka on Aug. 3, and the Suwako Fireworks are set for Aug. 15. Finally, Tokyo will host the Edogawa Fireworks festival on Aug. 24.

If you’re not a fan of crowds but still want to see some fireworks, then simply look up — chances are, you’ll be able to see them at some point during the summer.