Miyajima Water Fireworks Festival in Japan – A stunning 60-minute fireworks display that’s truly a breathtaking spectacle

Text and photos byMazhi Little Rabbit

“Miyajima” is located on the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima City, Japan, and is ranked as one of Japan’s Three Views alongside “Amanohashidate” and “Matsushima.” The iconic 【Itsukushima Shrine】, built over the sea, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Every summer, the 【Miyajima Water Fireworks Festival】 is one of Japan’s most celebrated fireworks events, attracting numerous visitors.

For those who love Japanese culture, it is highly recommended to witness the 【Miyajima Water Fireworks Festival】 at least once in your lifetime. With the grand torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine rising from the sea as the backdrop, the spectacular 60-minute fireworks display is nothing short of superlative—a truly unforgettable experience.

The 【Miyajima Water Fireworks Festival】 really does last a full 60 minutes—unlike the stingy, seconds-counted fireworks at Taipei 101. Each year has a different thematic story. In 2013, it revolved around local legends and folklore, divided into eight segments. Between each fireworks sequence, the narrator would tell part of the story. Even after subtracting the storytelling breaks, the actual fireworks still lasted over 40 minutes. Although I couldn’t understand Japanese, the fireworks themselves were absolutely thrilling.
(My friend said the Japanese person next to us found the storytelling pretty boring... XDDD)

2014 Miyajima Fireworks Festival
Time: August 11 (Monday) 19:40–20:40
Official website: http://www.miyajima.or.jp/event/event_hanabi.html

Although it gets a bit late after the fireworks, there’s no need to try staying overnight on the island, as rooms are nearly impossible to book—they’re reportedly monopolized by Japanese travel agencies. So just line up obediently after the show to take the ferry back to Hiroshima. You’ll definitely get back, but it’s super crowded, similar to our New Year’s Eve countdowns. Locals manage the queues, so it’s all very orderly.

% Season? Send and include the second part → fireworks finale video)

This time in Hiroshima, I used the Wi-Ho wireless internet router “Black Tornado,” which runs on Docomo’s LTE 4G signal. It was my first experience with 4G, and the speed difference compared to Taiwan’s 3G was huge—like comparing a car to a high-speed train. It was incredibly convenient and easy to use. (Black Tornado specs: official website device info)
However, during use, there was one instance of the connection dropping on Miyajima. If you find that you can’t connect to the network, simply restart the device.
The Black Tornado has quite wide coverage—even in the Hokuriku region’s Gassho Village, there was still a signal. Since Docomo is originally Japan’s largest telecom company with the broadest coverage, urban areas are almost always fine, with excellent 4G signals. Even in mountainous or rural areas, the signal remains decent. If you need constant internet access while in Japan, consider renting a wireless router.

Miyajima Transportation: (detailed photo and text guide to follow)
1. Train + Ferry:
One-way fare: ¥400. Take a JR Sanyo Main Line local train from Hiroshima Station for about 25 minutes to reach Miyajimaguchi Station, then transfer to the nearby port ferry for a 10-minute ride to Miyajima.

2. Hiroden (Streetcar) + Ferry:
Fare: ¥270. Take the Hiroden streetcar from central Hiroshima to Miyajimaguchi, which takes about 1 hour (it’s a bit long, so try to board near the departure point for a seat). Get off at Miyajimaguchi Station, then take the nearby ferry for a 10-minute ride to Miyajima.

3. Ferry: There are two types of ferries from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima: JR West Miyajima Ferry and Matsudai Steamship. Round-trip tickets can be purchased directly at the pier.
◎ Miyajima Matsudai Steamship: Round-trip ¥360, one-way ¥180. Ferries run every 10–15 minutes. The journey from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima takes about 10 minutes.
◎ JR West Miyajima Ferry: Round-trip ¥360, one-way ¥180. Ferries run every 10–15 minutes. The journey from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima takes about 10 minutes. (The JR ferry is closer to the giant torii gate.)

4. World Heritage Route Sightseeing Cruise:
Official website (with fares and schedules): http://www.aqua-net-h.co.jp/modules/english_page/index.php?content_id=3
Near Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, there’s a sightseeing cruise called the “World Heritage Route” that goes directly to Miyajima. The trip takes about 45 minutes. It’s more expensive, with the one-way fare at ¥2000 and the return at ¥1600, but seating is limited—about 30–40 minutes between departures. If you want to take this to Miyajima, remember to buy tickets in advance. The return trip usually departs around 17:00, so if you’re watching the fireworks, you won’t be able to catch it.
We tried to take this one but ended up with no seats, so we took the Hiroden instead to Miyajimaguchi.

Recommendations:
◎ Since the Miyajima fireworks attract huge crowds, to secure a good viewing spot, bring a picnic mat and arrive early to reserve your place. Lay down your mat, place some personal items like an umbrella or water bottle, then go explore. (Picnic mats can be bought at hundred-yen shops in Hiroshima’s shopping streets.)
◎ The weather is extremely hot, so remember to bring sunshades, sun protection items, and stay hydrated. You can also buy ice packs in advance to keep your drinks cool. (Ice packs can be purchased at the hundred-yen shops on Hiroshima’s shopping streets.)
◎ There are food stalls all along the path from Miyajima Pier to Itsukushima Shrine, so you won’t go hungry. Popular Hiroshima oyster restaurants on the shopping street often have long queues, but the stalls also serve freshly grilled oysters.
◎ Main specialties of Miyajima: oysters, seafood, maple leaf sweets (mainly red bean paste filling, also available in other flavors), Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki...
◎ Fireworks photography equipment: a sturdy tripod, a camera with B shutter (ideally a DSLR), a shutter release cable, enough batteries, and a black card (only useful if you wave it). Regular smartphones and compact cameras are good for shooting videos.

% Why not try visiting the shrine too? It's great to experience it with friends.

% First, go to the station near your accommodation: the elevator there leads directly to the platform, so you only need to walk about one minute. Some people say it’s a bit far, but taking the JR Sanyo Line local train is actually faster—less than half an hour—and you’re more likely to get a seat. So we recommend taking the JR Sanyo Line local train. Our outbound trip on the Hiroshima Electric Railway took too long, so we switched to the JR Sanyo Line local train on the way back.

% Both the ferry terminal near your accommodation and the one near the shrine have ferries to Miyajima. Either is fine—the fares and travel times are the same. However, some JR ferries are closer to the O-Torii Gate, with the ticket booth right next to them where you can buy round-trip tickets for 360 yen (this year’s price including consumption tax).

% The Japanese ferry schedule is quite punctual, so the boats usually depart on time.
% At the shrine, as soon as you exit the torii gate, you’ll see the ocean.

% The elevator is inside the station.

% For the ferry to Miyajima, either company is fine because they both run every 0–15 minutes, so it’s very convenient.

% The ferry from the nearby terminal is very frequent.

% There aren’t many people.

% There aren’t many people.

% You can see the ocean from the forest.

% The shrine.

% There are also many festivals around here, but if you go once, it might not be enough—you’ll want to come back again.

% The festivals also attract many visitors.

% It gets crowded quickly.

% If you arrive early, you can secure a good spot on the lawn. The area up front also has seated ticketed sections, plus areas enclosed by wire mesh.

% The lawn can get quite muddy, so wear shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. I wore mine once and ended up with mud all over my butt. (See image: width="500" height="375" src="https://cdn2.ettoday.net/images/657/d657936.jpg" alt="")

% The grass on the lawn by the ferry terminal also gets muddy, just like ours did. That’s why we’re showing you this.

% We had coffee and snacks with a Japanese friend, and honestly, it was really good.

% You should come early to reserve a spot—it gets crowded. There’s also a paid seating area up front, and another section enclosed by wire fencing.

% The lawn can still get muddy, so be careful. It was tilted at nearly 0 degrees, and I actually got heatstroke.

% There are also lots of deer.

% I recommend coming here in the evening when there are fewer people. On our way back, a lot of people got bitten by deer.

% A UNESCO World Heritage Site. Because there were simply too many people, I didn’t go in this time—but I’ll come back to visit next time.

% When you come back in the evening, you can also see the deer up close—it’s really something.

% Go for a stroll and enjoy the atmosphere of the fireworks festival.

% About 60% of the restaurants here are suitable for solo diners. You can find a seat easily even if you go alone, and the atmosphere is quite friendly. There are also many unique spots.

% It’s perfect for solo travelers.

% The environment is also great for solo dining.

% There are many types of solo-friendly meals, such as set meals, one-person hot pot, one-person barbecue, and one-person sushi.

% You can enjoy a satisfying meal while admiring the view of the city skyline.

% The solo-friendly dishes here are not only delicious but also reasonably priced.

% There are also many vegetarian options.

% For solo diners, almost every table has a power outlet.

% The solo-friendly meals here are also very photogenic.

% The one-person hot pot is especially popular, and it’s super tasty. I really recommend it.

% Here’s another photo of a super cute solo meal spot

% The dish in the photo was actually made by me, so it looks a bit messy... XDDD.

% I bought it myself, but it’s actually from a night market that opens during the holidays in Taipei. It’s called “Old Street Food Festival.” I highly recommend checking it out.

% I highly recommend finding a place close to your home or office.

% Some places with overly Instagrammable decor may not be very practical, so I suggest choosing something more down-to-earth.

% There are also some that allow you to bring your own drinks, which is great if you want to enjoy your favorite drink with your meal.

% If you’re by the seaside, you can enjoy both the food and the scenery, and sometimes the food itself isn’t even the most important part.

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