The event has ended! Let's go see the world's only fireworks display with a four-foot-tall ball! Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture [Dedication Fireworks

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The world's largest fireworks display

Asahara Shrine Autumn Festival Dedication Fireworks, One of the Three Greatest Fireworks Festivals in Echigo

This year, the festival will be held on September 13 (Fri.) and 14 (Sat.)!

In Niigata Prefecture, there are "Echigo's three major fireworks": Kashiwazaki (Gion Kashiwazaki Festival Sea Fireworks Festival), Nagaoka (Nagaoka Festival Fireworks Festival), and Katakai (Dedication Fireworks Festival), each of which has its own unique fireworks display. One of them is the "Asahara Shrine Autumn Festival Dedication Grand Fireworks" held in Ojiya City. The "Dedication Fireworks," which boasts a tradition of about 200 years, is known as the birthplace of the "San-Shaku-Dama" (three-foot-tall ball) and is held every year in September.
This year, the festival will be held on September 13 (Fri.) and 14 (Sat.)! (It has been decided that from the year 2024 onward, the Dedication Fire will be held on the second Saturday in September and the Friday before the day of the dedication.)

Katakai's fireworks are dedicated smokers.

Fireworks are dedicated to Asahara Shrine, and individuals and companies dedicate them with various wishes. In addition to local residents, an increasing number of people dedicate fireworks from all over the country, including Niigata Prefecture, the Kanto area, Kansai, Tohoku, and Kyushu.

Fireworks are dedicated to celebrate the birth of children, marriage, family safety, health, business development, memorial services for the deceased, and so on. (For example, a comment such as: "Congratulations on the birth of XX, be a cute girl loved by everyone.)

After each firework is dedicated, the comment will be broadcast before the fireworks are shot off.

The main fireworks are shakudama, and the 4 shakudama is the largest in the world!

The world's largest fireworks display, the 4 Shakudama, has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records!
70-80% of the dedicated fireworks will be Shakudama fireworks. Many of the fireworks are shot in a row, such as 2-shaku dama, 5-shaku dama, 10-shaku dama, etc. The 2-shaku dama and 3-shaku dama are shot in a row.
The world's largest fireworks display, the world's second largest, will be launched at 10:00 p.m. on both days, and about 15,000 fireworks will color the night sky of Katakai over the two days.
Starmine (2018)
Three Shaku Balls (2018)
The world's largest ball (2018)
The world's largest ball (2018)

Many handmade "Tamakuri" floats parade through the town!

In the morning, the whole town of Katakai holds traditional events such as "Tamaokuri" to dedicate the fireworks balls to Asahara Shrine and "Tsutsubo-yaki" to pray for the success and safety of the fireworks display.
About 30 ball-sending groups, including young people, children, classmates, and volunteers from each town, parade through the town while playing "Shagiri", making the event very lively!
The scene of Tamaokiri (old style Tamaokiri) (2018)
Minyo nagashi (2018)
About 200 stalls are set up around Asahara Shrine, and Katakai's specialties, fireworks banners, original products, etc. are sold at Katakai souvenir shops.
A scene from the festival (2018)
Fireworks drum performance (2018)
For more information about the Asahara Shrine Autumn Festival Dedication Grand Fireworks, please visit
*This article is based on the information of 2023 fiscal year.
For the implementation in 2024 fiscal year, please check the latest information on "Katakai Town Fireworks Association Official Website" and other websites.

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