Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks長岡まつり大花火大会

A fireworks festival held every year on August 2 and 3 on the Shinano River riverbed in Nagaoka, Niigata. Its organizer, the Nagaoka Fireworks Foundation, aims to pass on to future generations the story of Nagaoka's fireworks as prayers for remembrance, recovery and peace.

Remembrance for air-raid victims and prayers for recovery from disaster: Nagaoka's fireworks are two nights that carry the city's memory into the sky.

Its origin is traced to 1879 (Meiji 12), when 350 shells were launched at the Senju-machi Hachiman shrine festival with funds pooled by people connected to the pleasure quarter. A 'shō-sanshakudama' (3-shaku shell) was first successfully launched in 1926. The Nagaoka air raid of August 1, 1945 reduced about 80% of the city to ashes and killed 1,489 people. A year later, on August 1, 1946, the 'Nagaoka Recovery Festival' was held; from 1948, August 1 became a day of remembrance for war victims and August 2–3 the fireworks days. The first post-war 3-shaku shell was launched in 1951. In 2005, the 'Phoenix' fireworks were launched as a prayer for recovery from the Chūetsu Earthquake and a symbol of thanks for support from across Japan.

Source: 一般財団法人 長岡花火財団(external site, opens in a new tab)

The Nagaoka Fireworks Foundation frames the event as fireworks that pray for remembrance, recovery and peace, and works to hand this story to the next generation. The schedule itself — August 1 as a day of remembrance for war victims, followed by fireworks on August 2–3 — is tied to the memory of the 1945 air raid.

Source: 一般財団法人 長岡花火財団(external site, opens in a new tab) / 一般財団法人 長岡花火財団(external site, opens in a new tab)

1. 01

   Shō-sanshakudama (3-shaku shell)

   The giant shell emblematic of Nagaoka, first launched successfully in 1926 and again after the war in 1951.

2. 02

   Phoenix fireworks (prayer for recovery)

   Created after the October 2004 Niigata Chūetsu Earthquake to encourage people across the prefecture and pray for a swift recovery; first launched in 2005.

• Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks長岡まつり大花火大会インターネット中継 2026年8月3日

• Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks【長岡花火公式】動画で伝えたい素顔の長岡花火　夏

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The organizer asks visitors to plan their trip around public transport as much as possible, so that traffic congestion does not obstruct emergency vehicles.

Traffic controls, seating and fees change every year. Always check the official website for the latest information.

Official website — nagaokamatsuri.com(external site, opens in a new tab)

• Dispose of rubbish at the venue's collection points or designated places
• Do not reserve more space than you need; keep ground sheets compact
• The fireworks venue is non-smoking except in designated areas
• Drones and other small unmanned aircraft may not be brought in
• Pets are not allowed
• Do not bring chairs, tables, or stones/blocks to weigh down sheets

1. 1.「長岡花火」公式ウェブサイト(external site, opens in a new tab)一般財団法人 長岡花火財団 · Accessed 2026-09-26
2. 2.長岡花火の歴史(external site, opens in a new tab)一般財団法人 長岡花火財団 · Accessed 2026-09-26
3. 3.2026長岡まつり大花火大会の御礼(external site, opens in a new tab)一般財団法人 長岡花火財団 · Accessed 2026-09-26
4. 4.財団について(external site, opens in a new tab)一般財団法人 長岡花火財団 · Accessed 2026-09-26
5. 5.観覧マナー（長岡花火 Good Action!）(external site, opens in a new tab)一般財団法人 長岡花火財団 · Accessed 2026-09-26
6. 6.復興祈願花火フェニックス(external site, opens in a new tab)一般財団法人 長岡花火財団 · Accessed 2026-09-26
7. 7.長岡まつり(external site, opens in a new tab)Wikipedia · Accessed 2026-09-26
8. 8.長生橋(external site, opens in a new tab)Wikipedia · Accessed 2026-09-26

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  The Phoenix fireworks at the Nagaoka Festival, a golden curtain of shells spanning the night sky over the Shinano River

  Photographer

  Cp9asngf

  Source

  Phoenix Fireworks at Nagaoka Festival 2011.JPG(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

  CC BY-SA 3.0(external site, opens in a new tab)

• 

  Twin chrysanthemum shells bloom side by side in the black sky at the Nagaoka Festival

  Photographer

  Kropsoq

  Source

  2007 Nagaoka Festival 004 Edit.jpg(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

  CC BY-SA 3.0(external site, opens in a new tab)

• 

  The giant three-shaku shell of the Nagaoka Festival opening in a vast white bloom above the Shinano River

  Photographer

  Rankin2019

  Source

  長岡まつり花火大会正三尺玉.jpg(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

  CC BY-SA 4.0(external site, opens in a new tab)