The Fussa Firefly Festival (福生ほたる祭り) is widely considered Tokyo’s most iconic firefly event, held annually in mid-June. Located roughly one hour west of Shinjuku, the festival centers on Hotaru Park, where approximately 500 fireflies are released into the twilight. While daytime festivities include stage performances and traditional food stalls from 1:00 PM, the highlight occurs after 8:00 PM when the glowing hotaru dance above the water. Due to its immense popularity, visitors should arrive well before sunset to navigate the dense crowds. See here for other top firefly viewing spots in Tokyo.
Access is most convenient via the JR Ome Line, with the park situated about a 10-minute walk from Ushihama Station or 20 minutes from Fussa Station. To protect the fireflies’ natural light, flash photography and the use of mobile phone lights are strictly prohibited in the designated viewing zones. The local community takes great pride in the matsuri, often featuring traditional Edo-bayashi music and dance on the main stage. Because the park is relatively small, police often implement one-way walking paths during peak hours to manage the flow of spectators along the Tamagawa Josui River.
