Tobu Railway : Tokyo Sumida River Fireworks Festival - Held on Saturday, July 29(PDF)

July 4, 2017

Capturing Japan's oldest fireworks festival that started during the Edo period, watched by approximately 900,000 people

Tokyo Sumida River Fireworks Festival - Held on Saturday, July 29

Tobu Railway Co., Ltd.

From July to August, many fireworks festivals will be held near the Tobu Railway lines, spanning across Tokyo and four surrounding prefectures. Among them is the Sumida River Fireworks Festival. Held this year on Saturday, July 29, the Sumida River Fireworks Festival is Japan's oldest fireworks festival. It began when the first fireworks were launched in the year 1733, and has continued at the Sumida River area of Tokyo since the Edo period. Asakusa and TOKYO SKYTREE, the world's tallest tower, are located nearby. This fireworks festival representative of Japan is watched by more than 900,000 people each year, with a total of approximately 22,000 fireworks launched from the first site near Sumida Park (between Sakurabashi and Kototoibashi) and the second site close to Kuramae Station (between Komagatabashi and Umayabashi).

Many food stalls are set up near the site, offering visitors various types of gourmet meals such as yakisoba, takoyaki, and yakitori. Purchase a plastic sheet to sit on the ground at a nearby convenience store and enjoy the fireworks while sitting in a nice location and enjoying the street food.

Also, TOKYO Solamachi, a commercial facility located at the foot of TOKYO SKYTREE, will be holding a summer festival from Tuesday August 1 to Thursday August 3, allowing visitors to experience the Japanese cultural tradition of Bon Odori. The location will also be selling a special ice cream perfect for summer.

This summer, how about coming to experience Japanese culture and enjoy some fireworks?

Event Name 2017 Sumida River Fireworks Festival (40th) Date and Time July 29, 2017 (Sat) 7:05 PM - 8:30 PM

Program 7:05 Fireworks show starts from first site 7:30 Fireworks show starts from second site

8:30 Grand finale to end the show with more than 1,000 fireworks launched from both sites

Access First site: Approx. 15 minutes on foot from Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line) Second site: Approx. 5 minutes on foot from Kuramae Station (Toei Asakusa Line, Toei Oedo Line)

*Will be held the following day in the case of severe weather.

Spots to enjoy the Sumida River Fireworks Festival for the day

Recommended spots before the fireworks festival

Located on the fourth floor of the commercial facility "EKIMISE" directly connected to the TOBU SKYTREE Line Asakusa Station, "NADESHIKO" will be renting out women's yukatas for 5,400 yen (to be returned by 7:00 PM).

Also, TOKYO Solamachi, the commercial facility located at the foot of TOKYO SKYTREE, will be selling special ice cream for the summer and hors d'oeuvres recommended for watching the fireworks.

NADESHIKO URL http://www.kimono-yamato.co.jp/ekiren/english TOKYO Solamachi URL http://www.tokyo-solamachi.jp/english/

[Reference information]

From Tuesday August 1 to Thursday August 3, TOKYO Solamachi will be holding a summer festival where visitors can experience the Japanese cultural tradition of Bon Odori. Shops and stalls will also be set up, allowing visitors to enjoy Japanese summer traditions.

Also, from Friday June 16 to Sunday September 24, visitors can lie down on

special sheets at the foot of TOKYO SKYTREE, looking up at the tower in front of them and enjoying a beer garden.

©TOKYO-SKYTREETOWN

Recommended viewing spots for the Sumida River Fireworks Festival

For those who want to relax and sit to watch the fireworks, the area around Kuramae Station is recommended as a place that is easier to secure a viewing location. Each year, the streets Edo-dori and Kasuga-dori are closed off around Kuramae station, allowing visitors to sit on the road and enjoy the fireworks. If visitors check out the stalls around Sumida Park and Senso-ji Temple after 3:00PM and bring a plastic sheet and move to the Kuramae Station area by 6:00PM, they can enjoy both the gourmet foods and the fireworks.

Other recommended fireworks festivals that can be visited by train from Asakusa and Ikebukuro

Besides the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, there are other various fireworks festivals scheduled to be held along the Tobu Railway lines. Here, we'd like to introduce some of the main fireworks festivals that can be reached by train from the TOBU SKYTREE Line Asakusa Station and Tobu Tojo Line Ikebukuro Station.

The earliest summer fireworks festival in Tokyo is the Adachi Fireworks festival, launching about 12,000 fireworks over an hour. Since the fireworks site is located near a riverbed, visitors can sit on the banked slopes for viewing.

Date and Time July 22 (Sat.) 7:30 - 8:30 PM *Cancelled if severe weather

Venue About 15 minutes by foot after getting off at Kosuge Station, approximately 20 minutes from the TOBU SKYTREE Line Asakusa Station

Started in 1903, the traditional Ashikaga Fireworks Festival launches about 20,000 fireworks. Visitors can enjoy a magnificent light and sound show.

Date and Time August 5 (Sat.) 7:00 - 8:45 PM *Will be held the following day if severe weather

Venue About 5 minutes by foot after getting off at the Ashikagashi Station, about 1 hour and

10 minutes via the Limited Express "Ryomo" from the TOBU SKYTREE Line Asakusa Station

Fireworks Illusion is a fireworks festival held at the Tobu Zoo, an area gathering together a zoo, amusement park, and water park. The program will incorporate special effects such as lasers and flames, and will launch approximately 2,000 fireworks.

Date and Time August 5 (Sat.), 12 (Sat.), and 19 (Sat.) 7:30 - 7:50 PM *Cancelled if severe weather

Venue About 10 minutes by foot after getting off at the Tobu-dobutsu-koen Station, approximately 50 minutes after transferring to Hikifune Station from the TOBU SKYTREE Line Asakusa Station

The SAIKASAI is a full-scale fireworks festival, launching approximately 10,000 fireworks in a short span of time in an urban city area. The fireworks can be viewed from as close as 110 meters.

Date and Time August 5 (Sat.) 7:15 - 8:15 PM (Tentative) *Will be held the following day if severe weather

Venue About 5 minutes by foot after getting off at Asaka Station, approximately 20 minutes from the Tobu Tojo Line Ikebukuro Station

Summer Campaign by the Tobu Group - TOBU HANABI MATSURI

The Tobu Railway Group will be carrying out the "TOBU HANABI MATSURI 2017," a summer tourism campaign for foreign tourists visiting Japan. A special web page will be set up to introduce especially recommended fireworks festivals, chosen from the many fireworks festival venues along the Tobu Railway lines. A movie capturing the events of the festivals will be released, including the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, Adachi Fireworks, Ashikaga Fireworks Festival, and Koedo Kawagoe Fireworks Festival.

Campaign Title TOBU HANABI MATSURI 2017 Implementation Period July 1 (Sat.) - August 31 (Thu.), 2017

Special website URL http://www.tobujapantrip.com/en/cp/hanabi2017/

Map of main fireworks festival areas

Tobu Railway is a major railway covering the Kanto area, spreading mainly throughout Tokyo. The railroads provide destinations crowded throughout the year, attractive sightseeing spots such as Asakusa, home to the Senso-ji Temple, TOKYO SKYTREE, the world's tallest tower, world heritage Nikko Toshogu Shrine, and Kawagoe, an area where the classic kura style houses still remains to this day.

Ashikagashi

Tobu-dobutsu-koen

Kosuge

Asaka

Asakusa

TOKYO SKYTREE

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