The Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival is hosted by Kitakyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture and Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Regardless of which side you view the show, you’re in for a unique experience under an umbrella of 15,000 fireworks.
Festival History
The Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival originated in 1985 as a solo fireworks festival hosted by Shimonoseki. The display’s original purpose was to coincide with obon (a Japanese holiday dedicated to remembering one’s ancestors).
Since 1988, the festival has been co-hosted by the cities lying on either side of the Kanmon Straits, the body of water separating Kyushu from Honshu. Each side is responsible for its own performance, and the opening ceremonies are conducted by either Kitakyushu City or Shimonoseki, who alternate duties every year. More than a million spectators converge on the straits from both directions.
Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival
Following the opening ceremonies, there are two halves of the festival separated by an intermission featuring a drone performance. Each side offers its own style of fireworks. The Shimonoseki side, for instance, features underwater fireworks and a volley of 40 consecutive No.10 fireworks, which explode at a height of 450 meters and produce a blast of 280 meters in diameter. Not to be outdone, the Mojiko side also launches about 120 large fireworks in a row to cap off their performance.
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Gene Hennigh
Boy, I really would like to see this. Fireworks are cool, fun, and beautiful. If it is anything like the picture, I want to see it brought to me live by my eyes.