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[[Image:Kumano Fireworks Finale.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Kumano Fireworks]]
The '''Kumano Fireworks''' (熊野大花火大会 ''kumano ō-hanabi taikai'') is a giant fireworks show in the southern Mie city of [[Kumano]].

It is the biggest fireworks festival in Mie Prefecture and one of the most famous shows in Japan because it is one of the only major fireworks displays not to be located near one of the urban country's major metro areas.

==Description==
With about 10,000 booms, this is Mie's single biggest fireworks performance!  It's a huge fireworks show held right on a beach in Kumano, and it includes the famed "water-surface fireworks" where a ship leaves self-exploding fireworks in its wake, sailing away just fast enough to make sure it isn't hit by the explosion.

'''One of the fireworks sets will probably set the nearby mountain on fire!'''  This is seriously a spectacular fireworks show.

Food and drink is available at nearby matsuri-esque food stalls.

==Seating==
The seating is one of the things that really separates the Kumano Fireworks from most other shows in Japan.  The entire audience sits on the Shichiri Mihama beach, not more than a few minutes walk from Kumanoshi Station.  The beach is composed of rocks and not sand, but the rocks are extremely smooth and rather comfy to sit on or even lay down on for a nap before the show.  Also, the beach itself has a pretty steep slant so it is kind of like "natural" stadium seating -- pretty much everyone can see from everywhere.  As the beach extends pretty far to the south, the beach can easily accomodate the tens of thousands of people that come to watch the show without being uber-crowded like some other fireworks shows tend to be.  The Shichiri Mihama beach is truly an ideal "venue" for watching a fireworks show.

Prime reserved seating for groups is available for a fee, however these generally need to be scoped out way in advance.  If you are coming on your own check with the [[Deep South]] JETs in advance to see if they have reserved a "JET block".  Otherwise, just get there early, head to the beach, and find a good spot that isn't yet claimed.  However, as stated above, there isn't really a "bad" place to watch anywhere on the beach.

==When==
*August 17th (''same day every year''), however it will be delayed if rainy or too windy
*Starts around 7:20pm and lasts for two hours.  Best to arrive by 7:00pm at the latest.

==Location==
North end of the Shichiri Mihama beach in [[Kumano]], a five minute walk from Kumanoshi Station.

===Map===
*[http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?type=scroll&lat=33.88813396110012&lon=136.10320900459462&z=18&mode=map&pointer=on&datum=wgs&fa=ks&home=on&hlat=33.88798255378379&hlon=136.1032036401765&layout=&ei=utf-8&p=%E7%86%8A%E9%87%8E%E5%B8%82%E9%A7%85 Yahoo map]
*[http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=%E4%B8%83%E9%87%8C%E5%BE%A1%E6%B5%9C&sll=33.88342,136.097989&sspn=0.025153,0.055747&gl=jp&brcurrent=3,0x600670220d694351:0xbe3496e7948d9ada,0&ie=UTF8&hq=%E4%B8%83%E9%87%8C%E5%BE%A1%E6%B5%9C&hnear=%E4%B8%83%E9%87%8C%E5%BE%A1%E6%B5%9C&ll=33.883385,136.097946&spn=0.025153,0.055747&z=15 Google map]

[[Image:Busy Kumanoshi Station.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Kumanoshi Station -- packed on the day of the fireworks]]

==Directions==
===By Train===
Get yourself to '''Kumanoshi''' (熊野市) Station on the [[JR]] Kisei Main Line.  It is a good two-three hours south of Matsusaka.  Getting there is quicker if a limited express is utilized.  Note that although this JR line typically has a fairly low ridership, trains will be '''extremely crowded''' on the day of the event and there will be extra trains as well.  There will also be midnight trains, both locals and limited expresses, that will be able to take people home.

====From Kumanoshi Station====
Once at the station, simply walk out the ticket gate and continue straight down the road that stretches straight out of the station exit.  You will be to the beach in just a few minutes.

====Extra Trains====
The schedule for the late night return trains can be found [http://www.ztv.ne.jp/web/kumanoshi-kankoukyoukai/rinji2010.html here], however it is only available as of late July / early August.  Each year there are a few extra locals and extra limited expresses, both running to Kumano before the event and leaving Kumano after the event.  After the event, some trains will leave fairly soon after while others will depart a few hours after the event is over.

It's best to buy your return ticket upon arrival as the line will be very long once the fireworks have ended.

===By Car===
Take Route 42 ''all'' the way down from Matsusaka.

'''Route 42 will be extremely congested on the day of the event'''.  You should leave for Kumano as early as possible if coming down by car, as it may be bumper to bumper the whole way even hours before the event starts.  There are numerous stories of people not getting there in time and watching a sub-par fireworks show from their cars -- leave early and allot lots of extra time!

==Links==
*[http://www.ztv.ne.jp/web/kumanoshi-kankoukyoukai/ Kumano Fireworks - Official site]

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