Things to do in Koga, Kanto: The Best Events

The Kanto region's leading fireworks festival, Koga Fireworks features over 20,000 fireworks launched from Koga Golf Links on the banks of the Watarase River. The starmines set off in time to music, wide starmines, and huge 3-shakudama fireworks are particular must-sees. The festival also offers a paid seating area where attendees can lie down on tarps or lounge chairs to watch the show in comfort. The fireworks are launched from the nearby Watarase Flood Plain, an area of rich natural beauty registered under the Ramsar Convention and the perfect place for a picnic before the show.

This event is said to have started when people carrying lanterns out to greet the priests of Nogi Shrine-formerly part of the Koga domain-on their return from a "Tour of the 7 Villages" that fell under the shrine's authority began rubbing their bodies together to stave off the cold. Even today this is called "Okaeri" (welcome back) and is well known by many people. An enclosure called "yarai" is constructed by assembling logs in a specially-designated event area in front of Koga Station. Inside this area, teams of roughly 20 young people support nearly 20-meter long bamboo poles with lanterns attached at the top, and attempt to extinguish their opponents' lanterns while aggressively slamming together. Embers scatter from colliding lanterns in an energetic and high-intensity display.

Held in Nakaminato Harbor in the town of Hitachinaka, this fireworks festival features a continuous succession of shakudama fireworks and starmines lighting up the night sky. The underwater starmines are a particular treat. The vivid colors are reflected in the night sky and the water's surface at once, making for a magical sight. You can also enjoy a huge helping of fresh fish before the show at Nakaminato Harbor, a major source of skipjack and bluefin tuna and the prefecture's largest fishing harbor.

There are more than 1,500 flowering peach trees of 5 different varieties growing in the peach grove at Koga Sogo Park, and they bloom with bright pink flowers from the middle or March to early April. The Koga Peach Matsuri is held to coincide with this period, and there are open-air tea ceremonies, local specialty products on sale, and rows of shop stalls run by local businesses. A variety of daily events are held on a specially built stage, including exhibitions of traditional performing arts and song performances.

The "Koga Chrysanthemum Festival" is held every year at Koga Navel Park, from October 27th to November 23rd. The event grounds are colored with approximately 1,200 potted chrysanthemums, in displays that exhibit the captivating work of floral enthusiasts, such as draping cascades of flowers and arrangements with countless blossoms emerging from a single stem. With the event held over a long 28-day period, visitors can enjoy various changes in the flowers each time they stop by.

The Koka Kanto Domannaka Festival began as a declaration that the city of Koga is the center of the Kanto region, as it lies "smack in the middle" (domannaka) of the area. The festival is held at the Koga Central Sports Park, with over 100 vendor stalls run by shops, companies and restaurants throughout the city. There are also family corners - such as a children's plaza - available. Our specially-prepared stage will be the location of a variety of performances, including folk entertainment shows, a samba dance, and a hula dance. Performances such as the Kanto Domannaka Dance are particularly exciting, blending the stage and the stadium into one.

The Koga Yokambe Matsuri is a large-scale annual industry festival held at Koga Park, with a different theme every year. This popular festival features over 100 vendor stalls run by companies and stores, offering fine food and shopping to visitors. The festival easily accommodates children, providing playground equipment and a hero show. The stage performances are a highlight of the festival, and include dancing, taiko drums, and wind ensembles. There will be special parking available during the festival, as well as a shuttle bus.