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Tokyo’s Sumida River Fireworks Festival to Return After 4-Year Hiatus Due to COVID-19 Restrictions

After a four-year hiatus, the beloved Annual Tokyo Fireworks Festival is making a grand return. The festival, one of the largest fireworks displays in Japan, is set to light up the night sky above Tokyo Bay with over 12,000 fireworks. Spectators from all over the world will gather to witness this spectacular display of light and color, which has become a much-anticipated event in the Japanese cultural calendar. With a history spanning over half a century, the festival promises to be a night to remember, offering not just vibrant fireworks, but also a multitude of food stalls and live performances. Get ready to immerse yourself in this once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the beauty and culture of Japan.


The Sumida River Fireworks Festival in Tokyo is set to return this summer for the first time in four years after being repeatedly canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions. The festival is considered a mainstay summer event in the capital and is scheduled to take place on July 29. A spokesperson for the event’s organizer stated, “We would like people to be able to relax and have fun at the event for the first time in four years.”

The decision to greenlight the festival came ahead of the government’s announcement to downgrade COVID-19 as a common disease next month. With Japan’s nationwide vaccination program well underway, the country has been able to contain the spread of COVID-19 to a certain extent. Japan’s vaccination program started in February and has been expanded to include the general public. As of June 21, more than 28 million people have received at least one shot, equivalent to roughly 22% of the population.

The Sumida River Fireworks Festival is one of Japan’s most popular summer festivals, attracting over a million visitors each year. In 2019, the event was canceled due to concerns of extreme heat during the summer months, and in 2020 and 2021, the festival was canceled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival entails a show of around 20,000 fireworks being launched from floating platforms on the Sumida River in Tokyo. While the celebration can be viewed from several locations around the river, the area’s busiest and most popular spots are at the banks of the Sumida River in the Asakusa district of Tokyo. The event is a showcase of Japan’s pyrotechnic art and provides a unique insight into the country’s cultural heritage.

The Sumida River Fireworks Festival has been a tradition in Tokyo since the 18th century, when locals used fireworks to expel evil spirits during times of natural disasters. Over time, the festival became a celebration of summer and a way to bring people together.

As Japan looks to shake off the effects of the pandemic, the return of the Sumida River Fireworks Festival is seen as a positive development. The event’s organizer hopes that the festival will provide an opportunity for people to enjoy the summer, forget about the challenges of the past year, and simply have fun.

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