Experience in Tokyo, Visit Mito: Mito Komon Festival Pre-experience Event to be Held

## Experience in Tokyo, Visit Mito

Sibire Co. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Midori Suzuki) will host an event on June 11 (Thu) and 12 (Fri), 2026, where participants can pre-experience the charm of Mito City's fireworks and festivals. The initiative aims to provide an opportunity for people in Tokyo to engage with local culture and create a catalyst for them to visit the actual location.

During this event, participants will have the chance to engage with Mito's summer culture through various activities, including a VR experience of the Mito Kairakuen Fireworks Festival, holding the 'Suifu Chochin' (lanterns) used in the Mito Komon Lantern Parade, and a Mito natto tasting comparison. The event goes beyond information delivery, aiming to generate a 'reason to go' through experience, thereby connecting to visits for the Mito Kairakuen Fireworks Festival and the main Mito Komon Festival.

### Background of the Event

The 'Mito Komon Festival,' one of the city's signature summer events, is scheduled for August 1 (Sat) and 2 (Sun). The 'Mito Kairakuen Fireworks Festival' (to be held July 25 (Sat)), which kicks off the festival season, will illuminate the night sky over Lake Senba with fireworks produced by Nomura Fireworks Industry, which has won the Prime Minister's Award 23 times.

Despite Mito's accessible location—about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Tokyo—opportunities to experience the charm of the fireworks festival and the main event for residents in the capital region have been limited.

Recognizing that 'information alone does not move people,' this event is designed as a mechanism to generate 'reasons to visit' through experience by combining VR, traditional crafts, and food culture to let people pre-experience Mito's summer charms in Tokyo.

### Objectives of the Event

The event aims to increase awareness of Mito's summer charms in the Tokyo metropolitan area, starting with the fireworks festival, and to create a visitation experience that leads to attendance at the Mito Kairakuen Fireworks Festival and subsequently the main Mito Komon Festival.

Furthermore, by providing an experiential introduction to the appeal of paid seating and premium tables, the event aims to deepen understanding of how to enjoy the fireworks more comfortably and increase awareness of these options when visiting.

### Event Overview

- **Event Name:** Experience the Mito Fireworks Festival, Illuminated by Japan's Finest Pyrotechnicians! - Connecting the Night's Charm from Fireworks to the Main Festival -
- **Dates:** June 11 (Thu) and 12 (Fri), 2026, 17:00–21:00 (Open entry/exit)
- **Venue:** Local Hub Space 'OFF TOKYO' (2F, The Portal Nihombashi East, 21-1 Nihombashi Kodenmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo)
- **Admission:** Free
- **Organizer:** Sibire Co.
- **Cooperation:** Mito Komon Festival Executive Committee

### Experience Content

- **VR Fireworks Experience:** Enjoy the Mito Kairakuen Fireworks Festival through VR, feeling as if surrounded by fireworks.
- **Suifu Chochin Experience:** Experience the festival mood by holding the authentic 'Suifu Chochin' lanterns used in the Mito Komon Lantern Parade.
- **Mito Natto Tasting:** A企画 showcasing Mito's unique food culture.

### About the Mito Kairakuen Fireworks Festival

One of Japan's leading fireworks festivals that colors the opening of the 'Mito Komon Festival.' It features high-artistry fireworks, such as music-synchronized 'music star mines' and the vibrant 'Nomura Blue,' produced by Nomura Fireworks Industry, a 23-time Prime Minister's Award winner.