The Urawa Misono Festival¹ and fireworks were on in 2022 for the first time in three years. They are scheduled for 2023 also. The day time event is a railway festival, held in and around Urawa Misono Station. Who doesn’t love a railway festival!? Moreover, at night fireworks are launched over Saitama City. Both the day and night events have an Halloween element. These were the only ‘Halloween fireworks’ that I know of that went ahead in 2022².
¹Previously called the Urawa Misono Railway Festival ²Before the pandemic, Yugawara in Kanagawa also had Halloween fireworks, but, while the Halloween event is on, they haven’t had the fireworks since 2019.
The 9th annual Urawa Misono Festival and Fireworks
As of September 6th 2023, the 2023 flyer isn’t available yet. Here is the flyer from 2022:
Halloween plus Fireworks: A 3-in-1 celebration: Halloween, Festival and Fireworks. This event is relatively new. Had it not been for the pandemic, this would have been the 11th year anniversary. But as they cancelled two years in a row, it is the 9th annual occurrence of the Urawa Misono triple celebration! It is conducted on the main thoroughfare from Urawa Misono Station and in the station itself. There are festival booths, live performances and various activities. If children come in costume, they will receive a treat from staff.
Festival Schedule
*As of September 6th 2023, the times outlined are tentative*. The festival starts at 10 am on Sunday October 29th, culminating with the fireworks from 5 pm. They boom into the sky for about half an hour and the event finishes around 5.30 pm.
- From 10 am to 5.30 pm – fair, festival stalls and stage shows
- From 10 am to 3 pm – Misono Farmer’s Market
- There are also live performances on platform 3 between 10 am and 4 pm!
- 10 am to 3 pm – workshops, on the 2nd floor concourse of Urawa Misono Station
- Until 2.30 pm there is the rare opportunity to tour the railyard
- The fireworks start at 5 pm. If the weather is bad on the 29th, the fireworks will be postponed until Monday 30th.
The railway normally organizes other surprises on the day. It remains to be seen what they will be in 2023. However, due to the pandemic, this element may not be carried out this year. Also, pre-pandemic, other stores in the area ran events. For example, Misono community centre, Saitama Stadium 2002 and Aeon Mall Urawa Misono all had events on the same day in 2019. They may or may not do the same in 2023.
2022 Information
Date: Sunday October 29th 2023
Time: 10 am to 5.30 pm
Venue: in and around Urawa Misono Station. 4-chome Misono, Midori Ward, Saitama City, Saitama, 336-0967. View on Google Maps.
Access: from Urawa Misono Station on the Saitama Rapid Railway Line.
Official event web page for 2022, not ready yet for 2023 as of September 6th. The featured photo is from the Saitama Rapid Railway Line.
Find more Halloween events in Saitama Prefecture here.
20171020
fireworks looks great!