Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture The Katakai Festival (large fireworks dedicated to the Asahara Shrine Autumn Festival) will be held on September 12th and 13th!

[Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture] Katakai Festival (Large Fireworks Dedication at Asahara Shrine’s Autumn Festival) to be held on September 12th and 13th! ​ Image
URL: Ojiya City Press release: September 3, 2025 To Members of the Press [Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture] “Katakai Festival (Large Fireworks Dedication at Asahara Shrine’s Autumn Festival)” to be held on September 12th and 13th! The Katakai Festival Fireworks Display (Asahara Shrine Autumn Festival Dedication Fireworks Display), famous for its world-class four-foot fireworks, will be held on Friday, September 12th and Saturday, September 13th. Shuttle bus service will also resume this year.
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Reference: Katakai Festival Poster Ojiya City will once again host the Katakai Festival Fireworks Display (Asahara Shrine Autumn Festival Dedication Fireworks), famous for its world-class four-foot fireworks, on Friday, September 12th and Saturday, September 13th. Katakai Town, located north of Ojiya, hosts the Katakai Festival, one of Echigo’s three major fireworks festivals, alongside the Nagaoka Festival, known for its river fireworks, and the Kashiwazaki Festival, known for its sea fireworks. Known as the birthplace of the three-foot fireworks display, Katakai’s fireworks have a history dating back to the late Edo period. In 1985, they successfully launched a four-foot fireworks display, earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records and earning the town the title of the world’s best fireworks display. Additionally, the Katakai Festival is the annual autumn festival of Asahara Shrine, and the fireworks represent a dedication to the shrine. Experience the world’s largest fireworks display, with the mountains as your backdrop, the spectacular scale of the four-foot fireworks and the sound that resonates in your body and soul. ■Grand Dedication Fireworks Event Dates (Rain or Shine)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/147972/44/147972-44-7c50dc65d28d2cf25a58b97b1854a179-3900×2601.jpg Reference: The world’s largest 4-shaku bonsai ball, blooming into a massive flower with a diameter of 800m (photographed in September 2024) ◆Date: September 12th (Friday) and 13th (Saturday) ◆Launch time: 7:30pm – 10:20pm ◆Viewing Location: Back of Asahara Shrine (6548 Katakai-cho) ◆Launch Times for the Seiyon-shaku and Seisan-shaku Fireworks Seishon-shaku Fireworks: 10:00 PM on both days
Shosanshakudama 12th: 8:30pm, 9:00pm, 9:30pm 13th: 2:00 pm (midday Sanshakudama), 9:00, 9:30 ■Shuttle buses will operate on both the 12th and 13th. ◆Operation route: Ojiya City General Gymnasium – Hakusan Sports Park – Western Industrial Park – Katagai Seisakusho Co., Ltd. ◆Operating hours Outbound: 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM, operates as needed Return: 8:30 PM – 10:45 PM, operates as needed ◆Fare: 1,000 yen one way (elementary school age and above) ◆Shuttle bus user parking lot: Approximately 1,100 spaces in total □Ojiya City General Gymnasium (approximately 300 spaces) □Hakusan Sports Park (approximately 400 vehicles) □Western Industrial Park ☆Daiichi Sekhan Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (approximately 200 units) ☆Him Electro Co., Ltd./Shindenshi Co., Ltd. main factory (approximately 45 units) ☆Kimura Foods Co., Ltd. (approx. 70 cars)☆Echigo Seika Co., Ltd. Ojiya Factory (approx. 100 cars) *For details about the fireworks display and parking, please contact the Katakai Town Fireworks Association at 84-3900. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/147972/44/147972-44-e7a7401d9f6f45244c283f8cf9e147db-3900×2757.jpg Temporary Parking Lot and Shuttle Bus Information
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/147972/44/147972-44-9c5daf49be026a1f72ecac176551fe57-3900×2757.jpg Transportation map ■TV/radio live broadcast ◆Broadcast Dates: September 12th (Friday) and 13th (Saturday), 7:00 PM – 10:20 PM (until the fireworks end) ◆TV: Cable TV NCT ◆Radio: FM Nagaoka (80.7MHz) *Broadcast area is limited to certain cities and towns within Niigata Prefecture. ■History of Katagai fireworks
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/147972/44/147972-44-4fd0afd36789e062e5b010966fd172a6-3900×2600.jpg Reference: Three-foot-long (3-meter) fireworks in midday (photographed in September 2014) During the Edo period, Katakai Town was a tenryo (territorial domain) of the shogunate, and blacksmithing thrived there, resulting in an abundance of gunpowder. Fireworks techniques were introduced to the town from Enshu (now Shizuoka Prefecture), with which the town had commerce and industrial ties, and artisans began making fireworks in their own homes. It’s said that in 1806, the techniques for making two-foot and three-foot fireworks were taught to a Katakai fireworks maker. The current tradition of offering fireworks at the annual autumn festival is said to have begun in 1858, when fireworks were offered to celebrate the renovation of the Asahara Shrine’s main hall. In 1891, the world’s first successfully launched fireworks measuring three shaku (approx. 3.5 m), and on September 10, 1985, a four shaku (approx. 4.5 m) firework was successfully launched. Today, the tradition of offering fireworks at the Katakai Festival continues to this day, marking important milestones in life, such as coming of age, the 60th birthday, exorcisms, marriages, and memorial services.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/147972/44/147972-44-1ee8dcf3551e2a51c6a5d9362693cdb5-2449×1632.jpg Reference: Ball passing (photographed in September 2014) In addition to the Grand Dedication Fireworks, the town of Katakai is filled with excitement from the morning with a number of traditional events, such as the “Tamaokuri” ceremony, in which fireworks are offered to Asahara Shrine, and the “Tsubiki” ceremony, in which fireworks are launched safely and successfully, as well as the impressive fireworks. About the Katakai Festival (City Website) ​ Ojiya City Tourism Division, Lively Communication Department Contact: Kinebuchi/Yamazaki TEL: 0258-83-3512 FAX: 0258-83-0871 Email: kanko@city.ojiya.niigata.jp