The 73rd Todabashi Fireworks Festival (戸田橋花火大会), held to mark Toda City's 60th anniversary, runs from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2026, on the Arakawa riverbank in Toda City, Saitama. About 7,500 shells go up.
Because it is an anniversary year, there are roughly 25,000 paid seats — the most the city has ever put on sale.
Three numbers are worth fixing in your head before anything else. On August 1, gates open at 4:00 p.m., road closures begin at 5:00 p.m., and the west site is a 40 to 60 minute walk from the station.
The basics for August 1, 2026
Event | 73rd Todabashi Fireworks Festival "SkyFantasia" (Toda City 60th anniversary) |
|---|---|
Date | Saturday, August 1, 2026 |
Launch time | 7:00–8:30 p.m. |
Gates open | 4:00 p.m. |
Shells | About 7,500, including 10-gou shells, roughly 30 cm across in the tube |
Venue | Arakawa riverbank, Toda City, Saitama (upstream of Todabashi Bridge on Route 17) |
Paid seating | About 25,000 seats |
Bad weather | Cancelled. There is no rain date |
The show includes 10-gou shells: the casing is about 30 cm across, and the burst opens some 300 m wide overhead. A program with timings had not been published as of July 20, so plan around the 7:00 p.m. start.
West site or east site
The venue splits into a west site and an east site, and the choice changes how far you walk.
The east site is about a 20-minute walk from Toda-Koen Station (戸田公園駅) on the JR Saikyo Line.
The west site is a 40 to 60 minute walk from the same station, depending on how heavy the crowds are.
Against a 4:00 p.m. gate and a 7:00 p.m. start, that walk is not a detail. If you take a west-side seat, plan to set out early.
Across the river: Itabashi, same night, separate ticket
On the Tokyo side of the Arakawa, in Itabashi Ward, the 67th Itabashi Fireworks Festival runs at the same time on the same evening. You will see the figure "about 15,000 shells across both banks" quoted around — that is the two festivals added together.
They're run completely separately. Different municipalities, different ticket agencies, different stations. A Toda ticket will not get you into the Itabashi site.
The pedestrian walkway on Todabashi Bridge, which connects the banks, also becomes one-way from 5:00 p.m. on August 1. Crossing to the other side once you have arrived is not realistic.
Check which festival is printed on your ticket when you buy. The two names sit next to each other in search results.
Paid seating and prices
Tickets are sold through e+ (eplus). Areas are labeled West A–C, East A–E, plus the West and East Riverside sections.
Unreserved seat, West C | ¥2,500 |
|---|---|
Unreserved seat, West B / East E | ¥4,000 |
S seat (East D) | ¥6,000 |
S seat (East B) | ¥8,000 |
Fantasia two-person box (West A) | ¥10,000 |
There are also four-person seats and a camera area, topping out at ¥90,000 for the two-person Luxury Seat in East A.
As of July 20, the West Riverside seats, the East Riverside garden-chair, camp-chair and camera areas, East A and the SS seats in East C had all sold out. The five seat types in the table above were still available at that point. Availability shifts day to day, so check the official site before you buy. Nothing is published about day-of tickets.
No spot-saving before the gates open on August 1
Toda allows no spot-saving before the gates open. None. The only thing permitted is ticket holders spreading out inside their area once they are in.
Itabashi across the river allows it from the morning of the day, but only in its free area — so the two banks run opposite rules. Turning up early to queue because you read about the Itabashi side will not get you in on the Toda side.
Free viewing area: west of the paid site, no map published
Everything inside the venue is paid seating. That said, the official Q&A does mention a free area further west, beyond the west paid site. So the free viewing sits outside the paid venue, not inside it.
The organizers publish no map of it and no capacity figure. They also note that access to the levee may be restricted when it gets crowded.
Traveling out here on the assumption you can watch for free is a gamble.
Road closures from 5:00 p.m. on August 1
From 5:00 p.m. to around 9:30 p.m. on August 1, the area from Toda-Koen Station across to the Arakawa levee falls under traffic restrictions. Bicycles are included, not just cars, and parking bikes on the street is prohibited.
The Todabashi Bridge walkway goes one-way at the same hour on the same day.
Parking requires a permit bought in advance — none are sold on site on the day, and some lots had already sold out as of July 20.
Neither the organizers nor the police mention a pedestrian-only street on August 1.
Food trucks on August 1
Toda City's press release says food trucks gather at the venue on August 1 selling drinks and meals. Applications from vendors have closed, and the organizing committee controls the pitches.
Whether stalls appear on streets outside the venue on August 1 is not addressed anywhere official. Bring drinks with you.
What you can bring, and tripod rules
You may bring your own food and drink. The organizers specifically ask you to carry water as a heat-stroke precaution, which is worth taking seriously with gates at 4:00 p.m. and a long walk to the west site. Coolers are fine as long as they are small and stay out of everyone's way.
Tripods and monopods must stay at eye level or below so they don't block anyone's view. To go higher you need a ticket for the camera area in East D, and that sold out before July 20. Itabashi across the river sets no height limit, so don't carry the Itabashi rules over here.
Cancellation and refunds
Rain or strong wind means cancellation, and there is no rain date. The call is made when the organizers judge the event cannot be held safely.
What happens to your money depends on when the cancellation comes.
- Cancelled before it starts — both seat tickets and parking permits are refunded
- Cut short after the fireworks have begun — no refund
Rules at the venue
- Drones and other small unmanned aircraft may not be brought in or flown without organizer permission
- Pets and other animals are not allowed
- Smoking is prohibited except in designated areas
- Tents, tables, chairs, BBQ sets, sunshades and tarps may not be brought in or used
- Heavy drinking and intoxication are prohibited
West or east: the short version
On the Toda side it really comes down to one question: west or east. West gets you a seat from ¥2,500, but it is a 40 to 60 minute walk from the station. East is about 20 minutes.
Work backwards from there against the 4:00 p.m. gates and the 5:00 p.m. closures. Arriving while it is still light makes the whole evening easier.
For the festival on the opposite bank, see Itabashi Fireworks 2026: The Free Viewing Area Moved Upstream — Head for Takashimadaira Station
To compare dates across the summer, see Tokyo Fireworks Festivals 2026 and Tokyo Summer Events Calendar 2026. If you want to wear a yukata, see Yukata Guide 2026.
Official site: 市制施行60周年記念。戸田橋花火大会は、2026年8月1日（土）開催。荒川対岸の「いたばし花火大会」と同時開催の人気の花火大会です。
第73回戸田橋花火大会 SkyFantasia
This article was translated from the original Japanese with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. The Japanese version is authoritative.
