Lake Toya Long-Run Fireworks: Nightly for Half a Year in Hokkaido

The Lake Toya Long-Run Fireworks Festival, held at Toyako Onsen in Hokkaido, is a rare event in Japan where, just as the name suggests, fireworks are launched every night from spring through autumn. In 2026, as the 45th edition, they rise over the lake from Tuesday, April 28 to Saturday, October 31, every evening for about 20 minutes from 20:45. You do not have to aim for one special day. Stay at the hot spring and you will see fireworks that night. That is the greatest value of this festival.

The Launch Point Moves

What makes the Lake Toya fireworks distinctive is that they are fired from a boat floating on the lake. The boat travels about 2 kilometers across the water as it sends up the shells, so the firing point itself shifts little by little. Thanks to this arrangement, the fireworks can be seen from anywhere in the hot spring town: from a guest room at your inn, from an open-air bath, or from the lakeside promenade, each with its own angle.

The daily total is about 450 shells over 20 minutes. As a single night's event that is not a large scale, but the still surface of the lake reflects the light back and the surrounding mountains return the sound, so the impression left is greater than the numbers suggest. The sight of light spreading beyond the steam of the baths is something that can happen only in this hot spring resort.

A Lake That Lives with Volcanoes

The Lake Toya area is certified as the Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark, a land that lives together with volcanoes. Lake Toya itself is a caldera lake formed by a huge eruption about 110,000 years ago, and Mount Usu, rising beside the lake, is an active volcano that is still moving today. By day you can tour geosites that trace the marks of eruptions or cross the lake by sightseeing boat, and by night watch the fireworks from your inn. The fact that fireworks go up every night for half a year works precisely because this is a place where you can spend both the day and the evening.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Period: Tuesday, April 28 to Saturday, October 31, 2026. Fireworks are launched every night during the period
• Firing time: About 20 minutes from 20:45 every night (20:45-21:05)
• Number of shells: About 450 per day
• Venue: The lakeside at Toyako Onsen
• Viewing fee: Watching from the lakeside is free
• Parking: Visitors are directed to use the free public car parks
• In case of rain: Held in rain. However, it may be cancelled if the wind direction or wind speed is unstable. Because the shells are fired from a boat, wind conditions weigh more heavily here than at a land-based fireworks festival
• Fireworks viewing cruise: Operated by Toyako Kisen. Departs at 20:35 and returns at around 21:20, taking about 45 minutes. Fares are 1,900 yen for adults and 950 yen for children (elementary school age); 1,710 yen for adults and 860 yen for children in groups of 15 or more; 950 yen for adults and 480 yen for children with the disability discount; and for school trips 1,330 yen for university, high school and junior high school students and 860 yen for elementary school students
• Cruise boarding point: The Honsha-mae pier (between Toyako Manseikaku Lakeside Terrace and Nonokaze Resort). There is free parking. On nights when the fireworks are cancelled, the viewing cruise is cancelled as well
• Daytime sightseeing boat: The Nakajima island cruise costs 1,800 yen for adults and 900 yen for children. It departs from the Ekimae pier (behind Hotel Grand Toya), which also has free parking
• Access: The nearest station is Toya Station on the JR Muroran Main Line. From the station it is about 20 minutes by bus or taxi to Toyako Onsen
• Clothing and what to bring: Temperatures at the lakeside fall once night comes. In late April and October of course, but even in summer, having one extra layer to throw on will keep you comfortable
• Strollers and wheelchairs: The lakeside promenade is paved and flat, so watching from in front of your inn or from the lakeside poses no difficulty. If you plan to board the viewing cruise, there are steps when getting on and off, so consulting the operator in advance is the surest approach
• To avoid the crowds: The whole hot spring town is busy during the summer holidays and Obon. Since the same fireworks go up every night for half a year, deliberately choosing a weekday in June or September makes both the inns and the lakeside far quieter
• Enquiries: Toyako Onsen Tourist Association, TEL 0142-75-2446

📚 Sources

The period, firing times, venue, wet-weather policy, parking and contact details are based on the guidance published by the Toyako Onsen Tourist Association for the "45th Lake Toya Long-Run Fireworks Festival." The method of launching from a boat while moving about 2 kilometers, and the figure of about 450 shells a day, also come from the association and from Toyako Town's tourist information. The times, fares, boarding points and parking for the fireworks viewing cruise and the Nakajima island sightseeing boat were checked against the operating information of Toyako Kisen. Services and fares change from year to year, and the display may be cancelled depending on the wind on the day, so please check official information before you set out.