Fireworks offerings in Amori, where skills passed down from Edo adorn the sacred grove
Saikawa Shrine’s Mori Enka
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year on September 21 / Every year
- Location
- Saikawa Shrine
- Area
- Nagano Prefecture・Nagano City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 50 min · bullet train)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
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/10/22
These fireworks offerings have been passed down at Saikawa Shrine in Amori, Nagano City. They are said to have begun in Bunsei 7 (1824), when the shrine’s name change was celebrated, and are known for set-piece fireworks that make use of the terrain behind the shrine and its sacred grove.
About Saikawa Shrine’s Mori Enka
Saikawa Shrine’s Mori Enka is a handmade fireworks display offered during the autumn festival at Saikawa Shrine in Amori, Nagano City.
They are said to have begun in Bunsei 7 (1824), when bamboo-tube fireworks were offered to celebrate the shrine’s change of name to Saikawa Shrine.
The set-piece fireworks launched from the hill behind the shrine carry on techniques and local traditions dating back to the Edo period.
Source: 犀川神社の杜煙火 - 信州の文化財 - 財団法人 八十二文化財団
Festival highlights
At 9 p.m., signal fireworks are launched from the hill behind the shrine. Then, set-piece fireworks are launched one after another in the narrow, basin-shaped sacred grove.
The displays make use of the trees on the shrine grounds, creating an immersive experience in a close, enclosed space.
These fireworks offerings combine rustic simplicity with spectacle. The program from Tenpo 14 (1843) is said to have changed very little from the offerings today.
Fireworks offerings in Amori, where skills passed down from Edo adorn the sacred grove
What to expect
The who handle the fireworks are called “hanabi-gata” (fireworks makers) and have passed down their skills through three schools: Kashin-ryu, Taika-ryu, and Shosei-ryu.
Each school has its own methods, including different gunpowder formulas. Knowledge is passed down through secret manuals and oral tradition.
The preservation association makes set pieces such as Shirataki, Tachibi, Niagara, and Nagatsuna-ju, and also holds safety workshops and training for safety personnel.
Source: 犀川神社の杜煙火保存会 - 保存会活動
Location and access
- Venue and address
Saikawa Shrine, 4803 Amori, Nagano City
- Train and bus
10 minutes on foot from Amori Station on the Shinano Railway
- By car
10 minutes by car from JR Nagano Station
Address 4803 Amori, Nagano City
Dates and season
- Season
Every year on September 21
- Frequency
Every year
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 Nagano Prefecture / Nagano City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The venue is the narrow, basin-shaped sacred grove and shrine grounds, where set-piece fireworks make use of the trees.
As viewing cultural properties may not always be possible, visitors are advised to contact the relevant cultural property protection department in advance.
Nearby attractions
北野美術館
長野県長野市にある美術館
戸隠神社
長野県長野市の戸隠山周辺に五社を配する神社
長野県信濃美術館・東山魁夷館
長野県長野市にあった美術館
長野県立美術館
長野県長野市にある美術館
写真：photo: Qurren ( talk ) Taken with Canon PowerShot G9 X / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source ·Origins and History of Saikawa Shrine’s Mori Enka
Saikawa Shrine’s Mori Enka is said to have begun with an offering of bamboo-tube fireworks to celebrate the shrine’s name change in Bunsei 7 (1824).
The program from Tenpo 14 (1843) has changed very little from the offerings today. Records document formulas for 86 types of fireworks in Bunka 6 (1809) and 180 types in Koka 3 (1846).
The preservation association was established in Heisei 5 (1993), and the fireworks were designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Nagano Prefecture in Heisei 29 (2017).
Official information
The Saikawa Shrine Mori Enka Preservation Association works to pass down traditional fireworks skills and knowledge, train fireworks makers, provide safety workshops, and preserve the tradition.
The preservation association’s activities page introduces the makeup of the 3 schools, how their traditions are passed down, the production process, and past activities.
Saikawa Shrine’s Mori Enka at a Glance
Saikawa Shrine’s Mori Enka is a fireworks offering in Amori, Nagano City, originating in a celebration of the shrine’s name change in Bunsei 7 (1824).
At the autumn festival each year on September 21, set-piece fireworks make use of the terrain behind the shrine and its sacred grove, beginning with a signal at 9 p.m.
You can learn about both the handmade techniques passed down by the fireworks makers of three schools and records dating back to the Edo period.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/22
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