Summer is a time to have fun and relax. In Japan, it is a time for launching thousands of fireworks in the air while chomping down on delicious street food. This year I attended the Adachi Fireworks since it is the earliest scheduled one in Tokyo. This firework display garners over 500,000 people by the Arakawa River. On the way to the viewing area there are many food stands selling various types of food. As alluring as the food was I had a mission to get a great spot to watch the fireworks.
At the river, there are two sides to choose from to watch the event, which are the Kita-Senju and Nishi-Arai. On the Kita-Senju side, the fireworks are launched and have reserved seating available for purchase. Locals say that the best side to watch the fireworks is on Nishi-Arai. While I arrived hours before the start of the event there were already hundreds of tarps in place from people who went early to reserve their spot.
Crossing the bridge to Nishi-Arai
After making the long trek to one of the better spots, I set down my tarp and weighed it down with different items. I chose a spot that was near a bathroom and close to the center of the launching area. Luckily before I set up my stuff, I made a stop at a supermarket to buy food and drinks. Sitting there waiting for the show I saw how crowded it became as it got closer to the start time. In the distance, you can see the Tokyo Skytree from the river.
Once everything started, the sky was covered with an array of fireworks while music played in the background. The exploding sounds echoed throughout the area as the crowd continued to be wowed by the display. During the 1-hour time frame there were short 10-minute breaks between certain sections of the program. By the end of the night everyone headed toward the trains to return home, but I and my friends stayed behind a bit to miss the flood of people. Arriving hours before the start to reserve a spot was definitely worth it.
