Offering fireworks lighting up the summer night sky beside the river associated with Suitengu Shrine
Chikugo River Fireworks Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/05Cancelled
- Season / frequency
- Aug / Every year
- Location
- Six venues along the Chikugo River (Sasayama, Kyomachi, Komorino, Nagatoishi, Miyaki, and Tosu)
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Kurume City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 min · flight time only)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- No paid viewing areas
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This Kurume City fireworks display originated as an offering to Suiten-gu and has lit up the banks of the Chikugo River.
About Chikugo River Fireworks Festival
The Chikugo River Fireworks Festival is a fireworks event held along the banks of the Chikugo River in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, as a fireworks offering for the Suitengu Summer Grand Festival.
It began in 1650 to celebrate the completion of Suitengu Shrine and remains a much-loved highlight of summer in Kurume.
One of its distinctive features is the opportunity to view the fireworks from several riverside venues. The 2026 event was canceled.
Festival highlights
The highlight is a large-scale fireworks display that lights up the night sky and river surface along the banks of the Chikugo River.
According to the 2026 event information, around 12,000 fireworks were planned, to be launched from 2 sites: the Nagatoishi riverbank and the Komorino riverbank.
Six venues were listed for viewing: Kyomachi, Sasayama, Komorino, Nagatoishi, Miyaki, and Tosu. The layout allows visitors to enjoy the fireworks from different angles depending on the venue.
Source: 【開催中止】【2026】久留米・筑後川花火大会 完全攻略ガイド | 旅の特集 | 【公式】福岡県の観光/旅行情報サイト「クロスロードふくおか」 / 【開催中止】第367回 筑後川花火大会 | 久留米のイベント | 久留米公式観光サイト ほとめきの街
Offering fireworks lighting up the summer night sky beside the river associated with Suitengu Shrine
What to expect
Visitors usually gather at the riverside viewing areas and enjoy the summer festival atmosphere while watching the fireworks light up the night sky.
Food stalls set up around the venues, with information indicating they would remain open after the fireworks ended, making it possible to combine viewing with sampling food as you walk around.
Because the event was canceled in 2026, visitors could not watch the fireworks or use the food stalls at the planned venues.
How to take part
General visitors typically enjoy the fireworks as spectators from the various venues.
According to the 2026 event information, there were no paid viewing areas, and an accessible viewing area was planned at the Sasayama venue.
However, the 2026 event was canceled, so it is not possible to watch the fireworks at the venues that year.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Six venues: Sasayama, Kyomachi, Komorino, Nagatoishi, Miyaki, and Tosu.
The main viewing area is along the banks of the Chikugo River.
- Train and bus
From the Suitengu exit (west exit) of JR Kurume Station, it is about a 20-minute walk to the Kyomachi venue.
Temporary buses ran from Nishitetsu Kurume Station to Kurume City Hall; from there, the Sasayama venue was about a 20-minute walk.
The Komorino venue is about a 20-minute walk from Nishitetsu Miyanojin Station.
- By car
Vehicle traffic restrictions, including road closures, were planned around the venues from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Visitors were advised to use public transportation.
- Parking
In 2026, reservation-only parking, including at Hyakunen Park, was listed. The operating cooperation fee was 3,000 yen, and parking was available from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The event was canceled, so the parking facilities were not used on the day.
Event venue 福岡県久留米市 筑後川河川敷の6会場
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the event was scheduled for August 5 (Wednesday), from 7:40 p.m. to 8:40 p.m.
The event was planned to be postponed to August 7 (Friday) in case of bad weather, but the festival itself was canceled following the Kumamoto earthquake.
Therefore, the fireworks scheduled for August 5, 2026 were not launched.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Fukuoka Prefecture / Kurume City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
When watching, please stay in designated viewing areas and do not enter restricted zones or walkways.
Smoking is prohibited within the venue, and pets are not allowed, except for assistance dogs such as guide dogs.
Traffic restrictions and congestion around the stations were also planned, so visitors are asked to follow traffic rules and take their trash home.
Source: 久留米市：第367回筑後川花火大会【中止になりました】
Nearby attractions
Suitengu Shrine is listed as a nearby attraction.
The festival is said to have originated with fireworks dedicated to mark the completion of Suitengu Shrine, making it a place closely associated with the Chikugo River Fireworks Festival.
If you plan to visit while attending the fireworks festival, check whether the event is taking place and review nearby traffic restrictions, and follow local guidance.
久留米市美術館
福岡県久留米市にある美術館
水天宮
福岡県久留米市にある神社
高良大社
福岡県久留米市の高良山にある神社
Origins and History of Chikugo River Fireworks Festival
It originated in 1650, when fireworks were dedicated to celebrate the completion of a shrine building at Suitengu, donated by Arima Tadayori, lord of the Kurume Domain.
It continued as the Suitengu Dedication Fireworks Festival, and after cancellations due to unrest, war, and other circumstances, it adopted its current name in 1965.
Since 2004, as a safety measure, the launch sites have been spread across venues such as Kyomachi and Sasayama.
Source: 筑後川花火大会 - Wikipedia
Official information
Information on the 2026 cancellation, scheduled date and time, venues, traffic restrictions, and viewing precautions is available from the official Kurume tourism website and Kurume City.
The event is organized by the Chikugo River Fireworks Festival Executive Committee.
Chikugo River Fireworks Festival at a Glance
The Chikugo River Fireworks Festival is a fireworks festival in Kurume City that originated as an offering to Suitengu Shrine.
Fireworks can be viewed from several sites along the Chikugo River, and the event has been presented as a large-scale summer occasion featuring food stalls and temporary transport services.
The event was scheduled for August 5 in 2026, but was canceled due to the effects of the Kumamoto earthquake and to support those affected by the disaster.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival
