Surprising information for the 2023 Kawagoe Fireworks…
Kawagoe Fireworks 2023
The site of the Kawagoe Fireworks alternates between two locations each year. This year, it should be Isanuma Park‘s turn. HOWEVER, according to Walker magazine (June 2023) the Kawagoe Fireworks are cancelled in 2023. I can’t find any information on the official Kawagoe sites (yet) to corroborate this. Update July 2023: Kawagoe City have since confirmed the fireworks are cancelled in 2023.
⚠Kawagoe City have confirmed there will be no fireworks in 2023.⚠
A print screen of the web page claiming the 2023 fireworks are cancelled (which has since been corroborated by the official website):
Information hereafter for the 2022 Fireworks
For the first time in three years, the Kawagoe Fireworks will be lighting up the night sky in 2022! The fireworks are one of the highlights of summer in Kawagoe. They and the summer festival have been sorely missed. However, as of May 31st 2022, BOTH the fireworks and the “million lights” summer festival are scheduled for 2022.
Update August 6th: Tickets to view the fireworks from the launch site are now sold out. However, they will also show the fireworks live on the Kawagoe Youtube channel. This link will go live on the night.
>>You might also like this event, also in Kawagoe, on the same night.<<
⚠Kawagoe City have confirmed there will be no fireworks in 2023.⚠
Kawagoe Fireworks 2022
The Kawagoe Fireworks alternate launch sites each year. They alternate between Isanuma Park and the embankment of the Iruma River in Aina Water (Riverside) Park. In 2021, there was actually a small surprise fireworks at the Isanuma site. In 2020, Kawagoe City cancelled the fireworks long before the pandemic, over safety concerns for the planned Olympics.
As they launched the fireworks at Isanuma park in 2021, they will launch them at Aina water park in 2022, on August 20th 2022 (see information section for specifics). The Iruma river area in Aina Water Park is close to the borders of both Sayama and Hidaka Cities. Next year, 2023, they will be at Isanuma park again, which is relatively close to Nishi Ward in Saitama City.
According to the official Kawagoe city website, they will launch 10,000 fireworks. However, this year, you need tickets to watch the event from the launch site – A, B, C and D in the photo above. More information about tickets on the Kawagoe city website. And general information on the Kawagoe official tourism website .
Originally Kawagoe City website had some information online at the time of writing this post. Including information on how to get your own message launched into the night sky! All other information, including the need to purchase a ticket in advance, came to light afterwards.
Your message in the sky!
If you would like to see your own personalized message in the sky, now is your chance! Kawagoe City are currently collecting message applications to be launched into the night sky. They will select 20 messages by lottery after the application end date. If you are successful it will cost 20,000 yen for the message. The application end date, for your own personal message firework, is June 17th. (Web link removed as deadline has passed).
Information
⚠Kawagoe City have confirmed there will be no fireworks in 2023.⚠
Hereafter, 2022 specific information for the 30th annual Kawagoe fireworks | Kawagoe hanabi | 川越花火.
Important: if you want to view the fireworks at the launch site, you need to purchase a ticket in advance. Unfortunately, they are already sold out. They went on sale on August 3rd. Its 100 yen for Kawagoe locals, 1000 yen for everyone else.
Date: Saturday August 20th 2022. In the event of rain or high winds they will postpone the fireworks until Sunday August 21st. If there is bad weather on the Sunday too, they will cancel this year’s fireworks.
Time: from 7 pm
Location: Aina Water Park ↓
Access Kawagoe Fireworks in 2022
For the Aina Water Park location the nearest stations are Kasahata and Matoba stations on the Kawagoe Line, but they are not the most convenient. Either the Sayama Shi or Shinsayama stations on the Seibu Shinjuku Line OR Tsurugashima Station on the Tobu Tojo line are more convenient has they have buses that go close to the viewing area. However, each bus stop is a 10 to 20 minute walk to the site.
There are usually four separate official car parks, but things are quite different this year. There is just one and access is from a narrow road. As such, it can’t facilitate cars wider than two meters. However, tickets are already sold out. For anyone who has a ticket and is looking for information, here is the official map.
For a normal year: One is free, the others are charged. The free one is on the Kawagoe – Ogose road near Oroshi Urishijo entrance, in the area of Kawagoe’s number 8 public forest. For the charged car parking they recommend you book in advance. Like the buses, the car parks are also a good distance from the launch site.
(For the Isanuma park location you also need to get a bus to near to the site as there are no railway stations nearby. Isanuma park has a car park and in the industrial site beside it there are several areas you can park.)
Make a day of it!
Less than 10 minutes in the car from the launch site for the Aina Water Park location:
Saiboku Ham and Hot Spring Resort
Kawagoe Aquatic / Water Park
If you are visiting the Kawagoe Aqua Park, Saimyouji is next door. Saimyouji has some beautiful water fonts with floating flowers. They also have a few wind chimes.
Chikozan Park
Kawagoe Fireworks / Hanabi post updated annually. Last republish May 31st 2022. 20220531. Last update 2023.06.15.
something to look forward too!
Finally! I never understood why they cancelled all the fireworks – outdoors, plenty of space to social distance… ? I guess they were thinking of people using public transport. Just glad there are a few events on this year.