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Drone show at a glance
The drone show is part of the 2026 Saga International Balloon Fiesta (2026佐賀インターナショナルバルーンフェスタ), held on the banks of the Kase River (嘉瀬川) in Saga City. Here are the facts announced so far.
| Event | 2026 Saga International Balloon Fiesta |
|---|---|
| Drone show date | November 3, 2026 (Tuesday, national holiday) |
| Venue | Kase River riverside, Saga City |
| Address | Kase River riverside, Saga City, Saga Prefecture |
| Number of drones | 4,050 |
| Planning & production | SBI MUSIC CIRCUS Co., Ltd. |
| Organizer | TryHard Japan Co., Ltd. (operates the drone show) |
| Start time / fees | Not stated in the press release. Check the official site. |
| Official site | sibf.jp |
What the 4,050 drones will draw
The theme is Saga itself. The show plans to light up the night sky with the city’s streets, its history and scenery that locals have long loved. The organizers say they want people in the crowd to recognize the places they see, so expect familiar local views rather than generic shapes.
The idea is to pair two kinds of sky show: hot air balloons by day, then drones after dark. The release describes the show as a way to carry Saga’s culture and landscapes to the next generation using modern technology.
A quick note on the numbers: the event overview lists 4,050 drones, while one sentence elsewhere in the same release says 4,056. This article uses the overview figure.
The balloon fiesta behind the show
The Saga International Balloon Fiesta started in Saga in 1980 and is billed as Asia’s largest hot air balloon competition. By 2025, more than 4,600 balloons in total had taken part over the years. Saga is known as a balloon town, and this year’s edition adds drones to the same sky.
Balloon schedules, other festival programs and access information are published on the official fiesta website.
Who is putting on the show
SBI MUSIC CIRCUS handles planning and production. TryHard Japan, based in Chuo-ku, Osaka, runs the show on the day. TryHard Japan is a subsidiary of TryHard Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: THH), which listed on NASDAQ in August 2025 as the first Japanese lifestyle entertainment company to do so.
SBI MUSIC CIRCUS shares the vision of SBI Neo Media Holdings for a neo-media ecosystem, part of the SBI Group, and promotes regional revitalization through entertainment.
The company has run music festivals, fireworks shows, drone shows and lantern events across Japan. Highlights from the release:
| When | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | MUSIC CIRCUS | Music festival launched and built up as the company’s own brand |
| 2018 | MUSIC CIRCUS | Held the first all-night event in a dome |
| 2025 | MUSIC CIRCUS presents COMMON GROUND MUSIC FESTIVAL (Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai) | Co-hosted by the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and SBI MUSIC CIRCUS |
| May 2026 | Shonan Beauty Clinic presents SBI Mai Hanabi in Chiba Inage Seaside Park (Inage no Hama) feat. SKY ORCHESTRA | A drone show over the sea opened the performance |
| Jun 2026 | SBI MUSIC CIRCUS FUKUOKA -Beat Drop- partner with SoftBank HAWKS | Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka |
| Aug 2026 | Osaka Senshu Summer Festival 2026 SBI Mai Hanabi in Osaka Sennan | 10th edition; music, fireworks and a 4,000-drone show; 20,000 visitors |
| Sep 2026 | SBI MUSIC CIRCUS HOKKAIDO | Daiwa House PREMIST DOME; first two-part format, running all night until the next morning |
The company has also held lantern events in Osaka, Fukushima, Hokkaido, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Kumamoto and Aichi, and plans to keep touring them around Japan.
Planning your visit
The press release leaves several practical questions open. Before heading out, confirm these on the official site:
- The drone show start time
- Where to stand or sit for the best view along the river
- Whether any admission, seating or parking fees apply
- Transport to the venue and how to get home afterward
A few tips from our other guides:
- Coming from outside Kyushu? Our write-up on JAL’s Kyushu Fukko Ouen-wari flight + hotel discount explains how that deal works; check whether it still matches your travel dates.
- A day of balloon photos followed by a night show can drain your phone. Our d VALUE PASS guide to free ChargeSPOT power bank rentals shows one way to keep charged on the go.
- Leaving a big outdoor show means crowds. Our Setagaya Tamagawa Fireworks guide has general ideas for watching and getting home from large night events.
- New to Japan and paying for trains, hotels and food stalls? See which credit card foreigners in Japan should get first.
FAQ
- When is the Saga balloon fiesta drone show?
- November 3, 2026 (Tuesday, a national holiday), as part of the 2026 Saga International Balloon Fiesta. The press release does not give a start time, so check the official festival site before you go.
- Where can I watch the drone show?
- The venue is the Kase River riverside in Saga City. The press release does not name specific viewing spots, so check the official festival site for the latest information.
- Is the drone show free to watch?
- The press release does not mention any fee for watching the drone show. Check the official festival site for admission and viewing details.
- How many drones will fly?
- 4,050 drones, according to the event overview in the press release. One line in the same release mentions 4,056 drones, but the overview lists 4,050.
- Who is putting on the show?
- The show is planned and produced by SBI MUSIC CIRCUS and operated by TryHard Japan, an Osaka-based events company.
Source: TryHard Japan press release (October 28, 2026). Details may change; the official festival site has the final word.
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