The Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival is hosted by Kitakyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture and Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Regardless of which side you view the show, you’re in for a unique experience under an umbrella of 15,000 fireworks. Festival HistoryThe Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival originated in 1985 as a solo fireworks festival hosted by Shimonoseki. The display’s original purpose was to coincide with obon (a Japanese holiday dedicated to remembering one’s ancestors). Since 1988, the festival has been co-hosted by the cities lying on either side of the Kanmon Straits, t…