Huis Ten Bosch Kyushu-Ichi Grand Fireworks Festival 2026 Confirmed Flagship event

ハウステンボス 九州一大花火まつり — Sasebo, Nagasaki (Kyushu)

The Kyushu-Ichi ('Kyushu's biggest') Fireworks Festival at Huis Ten Bosch fires about 22,000 shells over the theme park's Dutch-style canals and windmills in mid-November — a bizarre and gorgeous combination of European townscape, winter illuminations and one of the largest shell counts in Japan. Park admission includes the show; premium seats face the launch bay.

Background

The park began staging Japan's largest autumn fireworks event in the 2010s, leveraging its private grounds to run a scale impossible for city festivals in the off-season, and pairing it with its famous 'Kingdom of Light' illumination period.

Getting there

Huis Ten Bosch has its own station, JR Huis Ten Bosch, a 5–7 minute walk from the entrance. From Fukuoka the direct Limited Express Huis Ten Bosch takes about 1 hour 45 minutes; from Nagasaki the rapid Seaside Liner takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. On fireworks night (November 14, 2026) JR Kyushu adds extra late trains back to Hakata, Nagasaki and Sasebo.

From Fukuoka (Hakata) by train: The Limited Express Huis Ten Bosch runs direct from Hakata Station to JR Huis Ten Bosch Station in about 1 hour 45 minutes, no change needed. A regular ticket with a reserved seat is about ¥4,750 one way; JR Kyushu's online-only discount tickets start from about ¥2,700. The route is covered by the Japan Rail Pass and the JR Kyushu Rail Pass (Northern Kyushu or All Kyushu). Arriving at Fukuoka Airport, take the subway two stops (about 5 minutes) to Hakata and board there.

From Fukuoka by highway bus: Nishitetsu and Saihi Bus run a direct express from Nishitetsu Tenjin Expressway Bus Terminal, Hakata Bus Terminal and Fukuoka Airport (International Terminal) — about 2 hours, ¥2,600 one way. Seats must be reserved in advance, and there are only two round trips a day, so the train is far more flexible.

From Nagasaki city: The rapid Seaside Liner runs direct from Nagasaki Station along Omura Bay in about 1 hour 30 minutes (¥1,730), roughly once an hour, with unreserved seats, so no booking is needed. Don't look for a shinkansen: the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen does not serve Huis Ten Bosch, and the direct Seaside Liner is simpler.

From Nagasaki Airport: Saihi Bus runs from stop 2 at the airport to the park's entrance in about 60–70 minutes (¥1,500). No reservation is taken, so a full bus can leave you behind at busy times. On weekends and holidays only, Yasuda Sangyo Kisen's high-speed boat crosses Omura Bay in about 50 minutes to the park's own marine terminal (¥2,500), but with just two sailings a day (from the airport at 10:30 and 15:20 in the autumn 2026 schedule) it suits arrivals, not evening returns.

From Sasebo: JR Huis Ten Bosch Station is about 20 minutes from Sasebo Station by local train or Seaside Liner — handy if you stay in Sasebo, where hotels are usually cheaper than inside the park.

Getting home on fireworks night: The show runs 18:45–20:30 and the park stays open until midnight (last entry 21:00). JR Kyushu adds four extra Limited Express Huis Ten Bosch trains back to Hakata, leaving at 21:09, 22:15, 22:37 and 23:10 (arriving 23:06–0:56); reserved seats for them go on sale on October 14, 2026 at 10:00 — book that morning, because everyone else will. Extra trains to Nagasaki leave at 22:48, 23:49 and 0:36, and there are additional late trains to Sasebo. The station is packed straight after the finale; staying in the illuminated park for 30–60 minutes and taking a later train is the calmer option. Parking is first-come, first-served and fills up, so avoid driving. Times are from JR Kyushu's announcement; check its station timetable on the day.

Tips

• This is a ticketed theme-park event: you need park admission plus, if you want a guaranteed view, a reserved fireworks seat. Seats go on sale in May and most zones sell out long before November.
• November nights in Nagasaki are cold; the park's illuminations before the show make the wait part of the experience.
• Official hotels inside the park let you walk home after the finale — worth the premium on this one night.
• The 'world fireworks championship' segments featuring overseas teams are a recurring highlight; check the year's program.