Written by JC Team
Most Japanese fireworks festivals go off in high summer. This one holds out until late September, over the Yodo River between Hirakata and Takatsuki, and the odd shell count is the whole point: 4,877, matched to the number of babies born over the past year in Hirakata, Takatsuki and Katano, with 100 more launched in memory of those who died. Every shell stands for someone.
What to expect
In 2025, the fireworks came with a warm-up act: a Tokyo Disney Resort drone show, “Magic in the Air,” which put around 1,500 drones in the sky for roughly 15 minutes before the shells went up. As for 2026, the drone production company lists this year’s festival on its schedule, but the organizers have not announced a Disney show this time — so file it under “has happened,” not “will happen.” Plan around the fireworks and treat anything Disney-shaped as a bonus.
There’s no need to arrive at dusk either: gates open in the afternoon, and the daytime side of the event runs for hours before the main show.
Schedule
The festival is on Sunday, September 20, 2026. Gates open at 3 p.m., the fireworks start at around 7:10 p.m., and the event finishes at 8 p.m.
It runs across two areas of Yodogawa Riverside Park — the Hirakata area and the Takatsuki area, the latter listed as provisional on the official site.
Tickets 2026
Everything the organizers have published for 2026 is ticketed seating, sold through eplus and Lawson Ticket, with the single and pair chairs also available via KKday.
The cheapest way in is a single chair at ¥4,500, or paired chairs at ¥12,000 for two. Above that there’s a six-person sheet at ¥30,000, a four-person table at ¥32,000, and six-person and barrier-free tables at ¥42,000. Photographers can book a two-meter-square camera area for ¥10,000.
The front-row SS tables aren’t sold to the public — they go to sponsors. Note that the organizers’ seating page doesn’t set out any arrangement for people arriving without a ticket, so plan on booking a seat rather than turning up.
How to get there
The Hirakata area sits on the Keihan Main Line side of the river at Hirakata-shi; the Takatsuki area is on the opposite bank, reached from Takatsuki. Your ticket specifies which of the two you’re in, so check the access details on the official site for your area before you set off.
Note that dates, opening hours, and prices are subject to change, so make sure to check the official website before you go.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.