Hokkaido · HiyamaFestival
A small town on Hokkaido’s south-west coast marks 14 August with lion dances, old folk dances, a bon odori and fireworks launched from the bed of a river called the Milky Way.
Overview
Kaminokuni Amanogawa Matsuri (上ノ国天の川まつり) takes its name from the Amanogawa — the “Milky Way River” — which runs through the town of Kaminokuni in Hiyama District. Fireworks are launched from its bed.
The festival was previously called Ezochi no Hi Matsuri (エゾ地の火まつり), the “Ezo Land Fire Festival”, and the town’s own website still carries the fire-festival keywords. Its traditional climax paired fireworks with a giant torch — reported at five metres tall and two metres across — lit as an okuribi send-off fire at the close of Obon.
One caveat for planning: the 2025 edition was cancelled, so this is not an unbroken annual fixture.
When and Where
The date is fixed: 14 August every year. In 2026 that fell on a Friday, with the programme opening at 13:30 and closing around 20:30.
The venue is the ground of Kaminokuni Elementary School. If it rains, some events move indoors to the Kaminokuni Town Sports Center and the rest is postponed to 15 August.
Kaminokuni has no railway station — the Esashi Line closed — so the nearest rail access is JR Kikonai Station, about 40 minutes away by car.
What to Expect
- The 2026 running order: opening at 13:30, Otome shishimai lion dance at 15:00, Kaminokuni Mukashi Odori and mochi-throwing at 15:30, YOSAKOI by Hokkaido University’s “En” troupe at 18:50, bon odori at 19:25, and the Amanogawa fireworks with a drone show at 20:00.
- Fireworks launched from the Amanogawa riverbed that gives the festival its name.
- A first-ever Mölkky “Amanogawa Cup” in 2026 (open to town residents only).
- Seven food stalls, a balloon artist, a high-school booth, a bouncy castle, a puzzle challenge and a “dinosaur race”.
- Mini-portrait drawing, 14:00–18:00, JPY 100 per person.
- The costume contest was not held in 2026.
Admission and Tickets
Free. Organised by the Kaminokuni Amanogawa Matsuri Executive Committee with support from the town and the Dounan-Oiwake Scenic Byway route council. Enquiries: Kaminokuni Town Fisheries, Commerce and Industry Division, 0139-55-2311.
Tips for Visitors
You will need a car. It is about 90 minutes from central Hakodate on Route 228 and 40 minutes from Kikonai; a bus from Kikonai Station to the Odome stop takes around an hour and ten minutes, but check the current timetable before relying on it. Because the date is fixed to Obon, book accommodation in the Hakodate area well ahead. And confirm on the town website that the year’s edition is going ahead — 2025 was cancelled.
Access and Map
| Dates | 14 August every year (2026: 14 August; 2025 edition cancelled) |
|---|---|
| Time | 13:30–approx. 20:30; fireworks and drone show from 20:00 |
| Venue | Kaminokuni Elementary School ground, Kaminokuni Town, Hiyama District, Hokkaido |
| Nearest station | JR Kikonai Station, approx. 40 min by car (no rail service to Kaminokuni) |
| Admission | Free |
| Official site | town.kaminokuni.lg.jp |
Source: Kaminokuni Town Official Site
Image: Existing site image retained — no verified photograph of this festival could be sourced under a suitable licence.
