Tokyo Bay Fireworks Oct 24: Rules, Rain Tips and Live Stream

The Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival (Tokyo-wan Daihanabisai) started in 1988 and used to fill Harumi Pier every August. It stopped after the 27th edition in 2015: the Olympic Village was being built in Harumi, and there was no longer room for a crowd of several hundred thousand. According to Chuo City, that last show fired about 12,200 shells for roughly 720,000 people.

This year it returns as part of the 80th anniversary of Chuo and Minato wards, moved from summer to autumn. About 12,000 shells go up from the water off Harumi Pier between 17:30 and 19:00 on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The big change from the old days is how you watch it: all 23 viewing areas are ticketed, there are no same-day tickets, and you cannot stop to watch from the sidewalks nearby.

Photo: Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival official website (previous festival)

Key facts

The hotline is closed on Saturdays, so today the official website and X account are the places to check.

No ticket? Live stream and TV times

It is tempting to think you can get close and watch from the street, but this year that is not an option: stopping on the sidewalks and roads around the venues is prohibited. Entering construction sites or apartment grounds without permission is a crime, and lingering outside shops or on the roadside is also banned. If you do not have a ticket, the broadcast is the way to go.

Stream and broadcast details are on the J:COM Tokyo Bay Fireworks page (Japanese). Times and content may change because of the weather or the live production.

The program: six acts

The 90 minutes are split into six themed acts. If you want photos, do not miss the opening and the finale.

• 17:30Act 1 “Tokyo Bay Fireworks, Once Again”Opens with 1-shaku and 1.5-shaku kamuro shells fired together — trailing, willow-like gold that hangs over the whole port.
• 17:50Act 2 “Celebrating 80 Years of Chuo and Minato”Shaped fireworks modeled on both wards’ emblems, plus an “8” and a “0” in the sky. The makers went through many test runs; the organizers ask for a round of applause when they come out right.
• 17:57Act 3 “A Gift of Light and Sound”The sound act: shells that burst with a bang, whistling shells that shriek on the way up, and a crackling starmine to close.
• 18:13Act 4 “Autumn Flowers in the Night Sky”Traditional nishiki and chrysanthemum shells in gold and orange, plus wabi, a style dating back to the Edo period whose sparks look like crackling charcoal — fireworks makers call the color “charcoal fire”.
• 18:41Act 5 “Edo Craft in the Reiwa Era”Fifteen master makers from the Japan Pyrotechnic Arts Association each present a 1-shaku shell (about 300 m across when open), made for this festival.
• 18:52Act 6 “Grand Finale”Around 3,000 shells in one final push to close the first show in 11 years.

Photo: Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival official website (previous festival)

Viewing areas, stations and prices

There are 23 viewing areas spread across Harumi/Toyomi, Minato, Daiba, Toyosu and Ariake. Areas 1–14 were reserved for residents of Chuo, Minato and Koto wards (sold by lottery), and areas 15–23 were open to everyone. The A, S and SS grades describe how well you can see the fireworks, not how fancy the seat is — SS is closest to the launch site. Tickets are either “seat reserved” (a chair with an assigned number) or “area reserved” (sit anywhere inside the zone; bring your own picnic sheet).

The organizers publish an English viewing area map and gate maps for each zone: Harumi/Toyomi, Minato, Daiba, Toyosu, Ariake (PDF). Mobile signal can drop near the venues, so save or print them before you leave.

Prices (tax included, fees extra) for the general areas were ¥5,000, ¥7,500 and ¥10,000. Resident areas cost ¥0 (A), ¥2,500 (S) and ¥5,000 (SS) for residents; leftover resident seats were sold to the public at those prices plus ¥5,000. Even the ¥0 tickets carry handling fees.

On the day, step by step

1. Bring the paper ticket. A screenshot or the confirmation email will not get you in, and a forgotten or lost ticket means no entry. Print it at a convenience store near home — the signal near the venues can be poor.
2. Check the venue and gate. The venue name is on the left of the ticket and the gate name on the right, with block, row and seat number below (area tickets may not show these).
3. Gates open at 15:30. Entering early or saving a spot with a sheet is not allowed, and sheets will be removed. It gets very crowded just before 17:30, so late arrivals may not reach their place in time.
4. Follow the signs from the station. Staff hold placards with venue and gate names at the nearest stations, and guides and security staff are posted along the way.
5. No re-entry. Buy food and drinks beforehand. Every venue has food stalls, but they are for ticket holders only and can sell out.
6. Staggered exit. After the show, leave in turn as directed by staff. ID checks may also take place.

If friends are arriving separately, each person needs their own paper ticket, so hand them out in advance. Children under 6 sitting on an adult’s lap do not need a ticket (one per adult).

What to bring and what is banned

All venues are non-smoking (e-cigarettes included), and there are no smoking areas in the Toyosu and Ariake zones. Strollers cannot go into the viewing areas; staff will show you where to park them. Depending on the wind, smoke, ash and dye can fall on the crowd and stain clothes, so wear something you do not mind getting dirty. Filming for an hour and a half drains a phone fast — if you forget your power bank, here is how to borrow ChargeSPOT batteries for free with d VALUE PASS.

If it rains

• No umbrellas. To avoid poking people and blocking views, umbrellas are banned inside the venues. Wear a raincoat or poncho.
• Wet chairs. Seats may be wet, so bring a towel.
• Wet ground. For area tickets the ground will likely be wet. Bring a picnic sheet; cushions up to about floor-cushion height are allowed.
• Keep the ticket dry. If your paper ticket tears or the print runs so the seat cannot be read, you may be turned away. Keep it in a plastic sleeve.

Photo: Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival official website (previous festival)

Road closures and extra trains

There is no parking for cars or bicycles and no shuttle bus. Taxis cannot drop off or pick up near the venues because of the closures, so plan on trains or buses. The main closures announced by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police (times approximate):

On the rails, the Yurikamome runs extra trains every 3–4 minutes from about 13:30 to 22:30, and the Rinkai Line adds 7 trains in each direction between about 16:00 and 22:00. The Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line and Toei Subway are also on special timetables. Toei buses To03 and To04 run shortened routes, with stops such as Harumi 5-chome Terminal, Harumi Futo Koen Kita and Toyomi Suisan Futo suspended, and some routes changed on October 20 — check the Toei bus notice (Japanese) before you set off. The organizers also have an English road closure map.

Stations are packed right after the show. Top up your Suica or PASMO beforehand so you are not stuck at the fare machines.

FAQ

Q. Is the Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival going ahead in the rain?

Yes, light rain does not stop it. At 9:00 on October 24 the organizers announced the show is on as planned. Storms, typhoons or a disaster can still cancel it at short notice, and there is no backup date. Check the official website and official X account for updates.

Q. Can I watch from near the venues without a ticket?

No. All 23 viewing areas are ticketed, and stopping to watch on sidewalks or roads around the venues is not allowed. Without a ticket, the easiest option is J:COM’s live stream on YouTube from 17:25.

Q. Can I still buy a ticket on the day?

There are no same-day tickets. First-come general sales ran until 10:00 on October 24, with earlier cut-offs depending on payment and pick-up method. There is no official resale.

Q. Can I get in with an e-ticket screen or the confirmation email?

No. You need the printed paper ticket. If you forget or lose it, you cannot enter. The organizers recommend printing it at a convenience store near home beforehand.

Q. Do children need a ticket?

Preschool children under 6 can watch for free while sitting on a guardian’s lap, up to one child per adult.

Q. Can I bring a chair or use an umbrella?

No. Chairs and tables, including small folding chairs, are banned, and umbrellas cannot be used while the fireworks are going. Bring a raincoat or poncho instead.

Q. Is there a refund if the show is cancelled?

If it is cancelled before the first shell goes up, the ticket price (not the fees) is refunded. If it stops after the start, it counts as a suspension and there is no refund.

Want another autumn fireworks show? The Tonsuibashi Fireworks Festival fires about 5,500 shells on October 31. For an evening by the water in a quieter key, Tokyo Shitamachi Kaiyu Takeakari lights up bamboo lanterns from November 7. More weekend ideas are in our event calendar.

Official links

• Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival official website (go/no-go notices)
• Venues, rules and access
• Tickets
• Official FAQ
• Official X (@TokyoHanabi_Fes)
• Tokyo Metropolitan Police: road closures

Based on the official festival website (updated 9:00, October 24), the Tokyo Metropolitan Police closure notice, the Yurikamome and Rinkai Line timetable notices, and the broadcasters’ program pages, checked on October 24. Please check official sources for the latest on the go/no-go decision, transport and broadcasts.