Katakai Matsuri

What Is Katakai Matsuri?

"Katakai Matsuri" is the popular name for the autumn festival of Asahara Shrine in the Katakai neighborhood of Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture. For many years it was held every September 9th and 10th, but since 2024 it has been held on the second Friday of September and the following day. It's one of Japan's premier fireworks festivals, nationally famous for launching the "yonshakudama," one of the largest fireworks shells in the world.

A Fireworks Town That Gave Birth to the World-Famous "Yonshakudama"

Katakai Matsuri is far more than a simple fireworks display -- it has continued as a Shinto ritual, an offering dedicated to the shrine.

• The scale of the yonshakudama: the "shoyonshakudama" is about 120 centimeters in diameter and weighs about 420 kilograms. It is launched to a height of about 800 meters and bursts into a bloom about 800 meters across. First launched successfully in 1985, it was later registered in the Guinness World Records as the "world's largest aerial firework" (the record has since been surpassed by larger shells)
• Japan's first records: Katakai is known as the town that first succeeded in launching both the "shosanshakudama" and "shoyonshakudama" shells in Japan
• The "midday shosanshakudama": a shosanshakudama launched in broad daylight, said to be the only one of its kind in Japan, is another highlight unique to Katakai Matsuri

The Spirit of Offering and Prayer Behind Every Single Shell

The fireworks of Katakai Matsuri aren't simply launched for entertainment -- they continue as "hono enka," offerings dedicated to Asahara Shrine by individuals, families, and groups of former classmates to mark milestones such as births, weddings, coming of age, and 60th birthdays, each one carrying a personal wish. Every single shell carries the feelings of the local community.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Watch videos or photos of Katakai Matsuri's yonshakudama and daytime fireworks
• Learn about the history of Asahara Shrine and Katakai Matsuri
• Visit Katakai in Ojiya City in person to see the fireworks, if you have the chance
• Learn about the culture of dedicated fireworks offerings found across Japan

A Community's Prayers, Held Within a Single Great Shell Rising Into the Night Sky

The moment one of the world's largest fireworks shells lights up the night sky carries far more than sheer spectacle -- it holds the prayers and bonds of the people who live there. Let the two days of Katakai Matsuri be a chance to reflect on the story behind this magnificent fireworks display, delivered from the town of Katakai.