Mount fuji & Lake Kawaguchiko:8 Must-See Kawaguchiko fireworks displays and summer festivals

• Table of Contents
• The unique charm of Japanese festivals
• 1. The Mount Fuji and Lake Lake Kawaguchiko Fireworks Festival heralds the start of summer
• 2. The Yamanakako Hoko Festival・Fireworks marks the start of the Fuji Five Lakes fireworks festival
• 3. The fireworks festival dedicated to the god of water, "Saiko Ryugu Festival・Fireworks "
• 4. The Shinko Festival at Lake Motosuko on Japan's old 1,000 yen bill
• 5. Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks , the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes fireworks festival
• 6. The Oshino Hakkai Festival, a prayer for peace and prosperity in the village
• 7. The Shojiko Ryoko Festival・Fireworks combines music and fireworks. *No date set for 2025
• 8. Traditional Summer Festivals Around the Fuji Five Lakes
• Fireworks festivals that can be enjoyed outside of summer
• 5 Recommended Tourist Spots to Enjoy Alongside Festivals Around the Fuji Five Lakes

In the Fuji Five Lakes area, fireworks festivals are held at each lake for five days from August 1st to August 5th every year .

The Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks is famous as one of the most famous fireworks displays in Yamanashi Prefecture, but the fireworks displays held at other lakes, such as Lake Lake Yamanakako, Lake Saiko Lake Motosuko, Lake Motosu, and Lake Lake Shojiko , each have their own unique features and are well worth seeing. There are also many food stalls, a staple of Japanese festivals, where you can enjoy food stalls such as takoyaki, yakisoba, yakitori, and chocolate bananas while watching the fireworks.

This time, we will introduce the fireworks festival held at the Fuji Five Lakes, which is easily accessible from Tokyo and Kanagawa .

Be sure to combine your sightseeing around Mount Fuji with the Fuji Five Lakes fireworks display.

The unique charm of Japanese festivals

1. Food stalls

The "yatai" (food stalls), an essential part of festivals, are said to have originated from the black market after World War II.

Black markets are a form of commerce that emerged in Japan during the postwar period of chaos. Under the food control system, it was illegal to obtain anything that was not rationed, but it was difficult to survive on rations alone, so people would obtain the necessities of their lives at black markets, which were lined with restaurants serving udon noodles and alcohol, in addition to vegetables, fish, and daily necessities. Later, the range of items sold became more diverse, and they became the "yatai" of today.

Classic street food includes yakisoba, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, chocolate bananas, crepes and other foods that are loved by Japanese people of all ages and genders.

Note: As many stores only accept cash, we recommend that you bring plenty of 100 yen coins. Also, it may be a good idea to exchange your money for 1,000 yen bills instead of 10,000 yen bills.

2. Yukata

The word yukata originates from "yukatabira," a garment worn by aristocrats during the Heian period (794-1185) when they took steam baths. Later, during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600), it became something worn after bathing to absorb moisture (like a modern-day bathrobe), and is said to have spread among commoners during the Edo period (1603-1868). Before Western clothing became common in the early Showa period, yukata were apparently used as nightwear (pajamas). During the Meiji period (1868-1912), yukata became established as a common summer garment, evolving into the yukata we know today.

Yukata are made from cotton and linen, which makes them highly absorbent and breathable, so they are worn in the summer when people tend to sweat. Currently, yukatas with a variety of patterns are sold in Japan, and they are especially popular among women in their teens and twenties as fashionable clothing for festivals and other special events.

1. The Mount Fuji and Lake Lake Kawaguchiko Fireworks Festival heralds the start of summer

The fireworks display, which marks the opening of Mount Fuji, is held every year on July 1st, bringing excitement to the Fuji Five Lakes area as the summer mountain season begins. It is also famous as the earliest fireworks display in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Date and time: Saturday, July 5, 2025 20:00-20:30

Venue: Oike Park

Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko Opening Festival Fireworks

2. The Yamanakako Hoko Festival・Fireworks marks the start of the Fuji Five Lakes fireworks festival

The Yamanakako Hoko Festival・Fireworks began in 1925, after the Great Kanto Earthquake, when students from Tokyo set off fireworks on the lake, and was later named the Houko Festival by the literary master Tokutomi Soho. The meaning of offering thanks and prayers for the blessings of the lake to console the spirits and to avoid disasters was added, and the Houko Festival began to be held every year on August 1st.

The Yamanakako Hoko Festival・Fireworks , which kicks off the Fuji Five Lakes fireworks festival, uses the large lake to launch fireworks from four locations in the four districts of Yamanaka, Asahigaoka, Hirano, and Nagaike. The fireworks launched in the main venue, Yamanaka, are a variety of colorful fireworks.

Date and time: Friday, August 1, 2025, 20:00~

Venue: Yamanaka district, Lake Yamanaka / Hirano district: Lake Yamanakako Misaki

Please note that Lake Yamanakako Communication Plaza Kirara will be closed due to the fireworks display.

Yamanakako Hoko Festival・Fireworks

3. The fireworks festival dedicated to the god of water, "Saiko Ryugu Festival・Fireworks "

The water goddess Toyotama is enshrined in the Aoki Cave, a nationally designated natural monument famous as a power spot in the Hara Ryugu Doketsu (Lava Cave) . The festival of Ryugu Shrine (Kokukai Shrine), which enshrines Toyotama, is the Saiko Ryugu Festival・Fireworks.

Compared to the Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks, this fireworks display has a smaller scale and more subdued atmosphere, but you can enjoy the combination of the lanterns floating on the lake and the fireworks. Approximately 700 colorful fireworks are launched, and if you sit in the front row along the lakeside, you can enjoy the most impressive fireworks.

Date and time: Saturday, August 2, 2025

Venue: Lake Saiko Saiko

Lake Saiko Dragon Palace Festival

4. The Shinko Festival at Lake Motosuko on Japan's old 1,000 yen bill

Lake Motosuko is famous for being the design on Japan's old 1,000 yen bill. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the roar of the fireworks echoes pleasantly throughout the lake. There are many campsites around Lake Motosuko, so it is also recommended to camp and enjoy the fireworks.

Date and time: Sunday, August 3, 2025, 7:30pm

Venue: Lake Lake Motosuko

Lake Motosuko Shinko Festival

5. Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks , the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes fireworks festival

The Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks originated from the Misogi Festival, an event held at the lake of Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine , one of the Component Parts of World Heritage of the Mount Mount Fuji World Heritage Site, where all impurities of the world are washed away into the water. To express gratitude to Duke Shimazu, who had a villa in the Oishi area of ​​Fujikawaguchiko Town and was always interested in and committed to the development of tourism around Lake Kawaguchiko, fireworks were launched from the lake, and the current Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks was born.

The Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks is the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes festivals, and as it takes place on the final day of the five-night fireworks festival, about 10,000 fireworks are launched in a spectacular fashion. The unique "Mizukami fireworks" that can only be seen on a lake are unique in that they launch semicircular fireworks, which are reflected on the lake surface and combine to form a single firework.

Date and time: August 5, 205 (Tue) 20:00~

Venue: Oike Park

Due to traffic restrictions around Lake Kawaguchiko, the surrounding roads and parking lots will be very crowded. Please allow yourself plenty of time when traveling.

Kawaguchiko Kojo Festival・Fireworks

6. The Oshino Hakkai Festival, a prayer for peace and prosperity in the village

This festival is held every year on August 8th in Oshino Village . It is a summer festival to worship the "Eight Great Ryuo ", the guardian deities of the Oshino Hakkai Seas, in commemoration of the peace and prosperity of the village. In addition to various events such as character shows and Bon Odori dances, the highlight is the spectacular "Hachimonji Yaki" burning on Mt. Koza, which is held to drive away evil spirits, invite new buds of all plants and animals, and pray for the happiness of the villagers and the peace and prosperity of the village.

This festival has many highlights, including fireworks that rise in time with the music at the climax.

Date and time: Friday, August 8, 2025

Venue: Oshino Hakkai

Click here for tourist information on Oshino Village

7. The Shojiko Ryoko Festival・Fireworks combines music and fireworks. *No date set for 2025

This fireworks festival features around 500 fireworks and live jazz music, brightening up the lakeside in summer. It is a fusion of the fireworks festival "Ryo Lake Festival" and " Lake Shojiko Music Festival" held at Lake Shojiko . The launch site is close by, so the fireworks that shoot straight up into the sky are very impressive.

8. Traditional Summer Festivals Around the Fuji Five Lakes

Yoshida Fire Festival and Susuki Festival

The Yoshida Fire Festival is an annual festival held by both Kitaguchi Motomiya Fuji Shrine and Suwa Shrine. It has a history of over 400 years and is counted as one of the three most unusual festivals in Japan. About 90 large 3-meter-tall torches are lined up in the area from the golden torii gate in the Yoshida district to Motomiya Fuji Sengen Shrine, creating a fantastical landscape.

In addition, the "Susuki Festival" held on the following day, the 27th, in the afternoon, is called the "Susuki Festival" because parishioners and worshippers carry "Susuki tamagushi" (pampas grass offerings) and follow the two mikoshi around Takamagahara.

With the end of this festival, the Fuji Five Lakes take on a distinctly autumnal feel.

Dates and times: Fire Festival: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 / Susuki Festival: Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Venue: Kitaguchi Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine

Yoshida Fire Festival

Fireworks festivals that can be enjoyed outside of summer

Kawaguchiko Winter Fireworks

This fireworks festival is held every year on weekends and holidays from mid-January to mid-February at Lake Kawaguchiko. You can enjoy fireworks that light up the clear winter night sky. In addition, a fireworks festival is held on February 23rd to commemorate "Mount Fuji Day."

Kawaguchiko Winter Fireworks

The spectacular fireworks at Mt. Fuji

This fireworks show, performed by the world's top four pyrotechnicians, features spectacular views of Mount Fuji and is held every April at Fujiten Snow Resort.

The spectacular fireworks at Mt. Fuji

Fujiten Snow Resort

8545-1 Fujisan, Narusawa Village, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Pref...

90 minutes by car from Tokyo, Yokohama and Shizuoka. During the winter season, this is a full-scale ski resort where you can enjoy skiing and snowboarding with the majestic Mt. Fuji in the background. There are seven courses that can be enjoyed by beginners to advanced skiers, and there is also a "snow park" with a wide variety of items. The "Chibikko Ai Land" dedicated to playing in the snow and sledding is recommended for families with children of elementary school age or younger. During the green season from May to November, it is a highland resort full of fun such as mountain biking, summer slopes, mountain carts and other activities, as well as BBQs on the slopes.

5 Recommended Tourist Spots to Enjoy Alongside Festivals Around the Fuji Five Lakes

1. Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine

It is an ancient shrine with a history of over 1,900 years and is counted as one of the Component Parts of World Heritage of the Mount Fuji World Heritage Site.

At the starting point of the Yoshida Ascending Route of Mount Fuji , Taidai Kagura dance is performed at the Opening Ceremony held on June 30th every year and the Fire Festival ( Yoshida Fire Festival) held on August 26th and 27th. The 1000-year-old large cedar tree next to the main hall is a spectacular sight.

How to visit the shrine

Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine

2. Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine

This shrine was built to calm the eruption of Mount Fuji , and is one of the Component Parts of World Heritage of the Mount Fuji World Heritage Site. Within the shrine grounds is the Seven Cedars, which are over 1,200 years old and are famous as a power spot. The traditional performing art of "Chigo no Mai," which has been performed to calm the eruption of Mount Fuji, is a nationally designated important intangible folk custom. Also, about a 30-minute walk from Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine, there is the remote worship site "Tenku no Torii," which offers a panoramic view of Mt. Mount Fuji, and the subordinate shrine "Haha no Shirataki."

Kawaguchi Asama-jinja Shrine

3. Oshino Hakkai

Oshino Hakkai is a spring-fed pond whose source is the underground waters of Mount Fuji and has been recognized as one of the Component Parts of World Heritage of the Mount Fuji World Heritage Site.

Lake Oshino, which once stood in this area, dried up, and what remained as the outlet for Yusui is the current Oshino Hakkai. The meltwater that falls on Mount Fuji is filtered through the impermeable lava layer underground over the course of several decades, making it a mysterious pond with outstanding transparency that allows you to clearly see the bottom. The beautiful spring water pond is said to cleanse the soul.

Oshino Hakkai

4. Ryugu Doketsu (Lava Cave)(Kokukai Shrine)

Ryugu Doketsu (Lava Cave) is a nationally designated natural monument and a popular power spot. It is a cave located in the Aoki Hara forest, but the entrance is located along Prefectural Route 710, so you can drive close to it. When you go down into the cave, you will feel cool and refreshing air even in summer.

Ryugu Doketsu (Lava Cave)

5. Mount Fuji 5th Station

The Yamanashi side's gateway to climbing Yamanashi Prefecture Fuji, the "Mount Fuji 5th Station," is a popular tourist destination with shrines, restaurants, souvenir shops, etc. From the 5th Station, you can also enjoy a spectacular view of the summit of Fuji and Lake Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Yamanakako below.

At Fujikanko Travel, in addition to taxi tours that take you around recommended tourist spots, such as the "Shrine Tour Course" and the "Seasonal Flower Walk Course," we can also create special plans just for you if you let us know in advance where you would like to go.

Fujikanko Travel

401-0301 3644-1 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko-cho, Lake Kawaguchiko gun, Ya...

A travel agency based in Lake Kawaguchiko that offers day-trip activity tours where you can fully enjoy the great nature at the foot of Mt. Fuji. Particularly recommended are the popular cycling tour, which explores the history of Fuji-ko, and more. We have many tours available for beginners, as well as tours for intermediate and advanced users, so please feel free to contact us. The store offers a Bicycle rental service. We can rent it for 600 yen per hour and 3,000 yen for one day (9:00-18:00), so please let us know if you are interested. Fujiten ski taxis and ski buses are also available during the winter. Please see the Fujikanko Travel website for details.