In Da Nang, a port city in central Vietnam, the "Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF 2026)" will be held from May 30 to July 11, 2026. The theme is "Da Nang – United Horizons." Ten teams from nine countries, including Japan, will take part, staging a total of six nights of competition against the backdrop of the Han River estuary area.
From Japan, Tamaya Kitahara Fireworks Co., Ltd. will compete, facing off against the Italian team on the "Culture" night of June 13. Along with Portugal, France, and Macau, it's one of four teams making their DIFF debut.
On the opening night, Vietnam (the Da Nang team) and China will fire off displays on the theme of "Nature," and in the grand finale on July 11, the top two teams will vie in the final showdown.
An overview of DIFF 2026
DIFF (Da Nang International Fireworks Festival) is an international fireworks competition hosted by the city of Da Nang. Held every year along the Han River, it's known as one of Southeast Asia's largest fireworks events.
The 2026 theme, "Da Nang – United Horizons," reflects the administrative merger of Da Nang City and Quang Nam Province. Each of the six competition nights is assigned a sub-theme: Nature, Heritage, Culture, Creativity, Vision, and United Horizons.
The firing venue is the Han River port area (Da Nang Marina), and the main viewing stands and stage are set up along Tran Hung Dao Street, on the opposite bank from the firing point.
The competition schedule for all six nights
The competition among 10 teams consists of six nights in total: the opening night, four qualifying nights, and the grand finale. Each night, two teams fire off displays, and the rankings are decided by the judges' scores.
| Itinerary | Theme | Matchup |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 30 | Nature (opening night) | Vietnam (Da Nang) vs. China |
| Saturday, June 6 | Heritage | Vietnam (Z21 Vina Pyrotech) vs. France |
| Saturday, June 13 | Culture | Japan (Tamaya Kitahara Fireworks) vs. Italy |
| Saturday, June 20 | Creativity | Germany vs. Macau |
| Saturday, June 27 | Vision | Australia vs. Portugal |
| Friday, July 11 | United Horizons (final) | Grand finale between the top two teams |
Ticket prices and how to buy
There are four seat categories, and prices differ between the opening/final nights and the qualifying nights. Official tickets can be purchased through Sun World's sales channels, the official DIFF website, on-site booths, or via authorized travel partners. Using resale sites is not recommended due to the risk of fraud.
| Seat category | Opening/final nights | In yen (approx.) | Qualifying nights | In yen (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VVIP (with table) | 4,000,000 VND | About 24,000 yen | 3,500,000 VND | About 21,000 yen |
| AVIP | 2,800,000 VND | About 16,800 yen | 2,200,000 VND | About 13,200 yen |
| A1/A2 | 2,000,000 VND | About 12,000 yen | 1,500,000 VND | About 9,000 yen |
| A3/A4 | 1,500,000 VND | About 9,000 yen | 1,000,000 VND | About 6,000 yen |
*Yen conversions calculated at 1 VND = about 0.006 yen. Amounts may change with exchange-rate fluctuations.
Reactions from the local area and the tourism industry
Da Nang's tourism authorities position DIFF 2026 as the first major international event after the administrative merger, and expect visitor numbers during the period to rise 20% year on year. In some years, hotel occupancy exceeds 90% during the fireworks festival, so booking accommodation early is essential.
Regarding the Japanese team's debut, the Japanese community in Da Nang has welcomed it. Tamaya Kitahara Fireworks is a pyrotechnics company with a track record at fireworks festivals in Japan too, and attention is focused on the Culture night of June 13.
Hoi An, No. 1 hideaway city,With the addition of a fireworks festival as a new draw to the central Vietnam area, which also drew attention in the news, the Da Nang-plus-Hoi An touring route becomes even more appealing.
Impact on Japanese travelers
The Japanese team competes on Saturday, June 13. On that Culture night, it faces Italy's Martarello Group head-to-head. If you want to rush over to cheer them on, booking flights to Da Nang and a hotel early is essential. Da Nang has direct flights from Japan (Narita and Kansai), reachable in about five and a half hours.
VVIP seats run about 21,000-24,000 yen per night, which feels reasonable compared to Japan's paid fireworks-viewing seats. Note, though, that the opening and final nights are highly popular and may sell out early.
Cafe Giang's egg coffeeYou can realize a luxurious Da Nang stay, enjoying Vietnam's café culture, known for this, by day and watching fireworks by night.
Ripple effects on the tourism and events industry
DIFF 2026 accelerates Da Nang's transformation from a mere beach resort into an international events city. Stay-type tourism packages combining the Ba Na Hills theme park, the resorts of My Khe Beach, and the fireworks festival are increasing.
Also not to be missed is that Sun World sells a combo ticket for Ba Na Hills and DIFF (2 million-3.3 million VND for qualifying nights). Rather than the fireworks festival alone, an ecosystem that boosts Da Nang tourism as a whole is taking shape.
Phu Quoc fish sauceandPier Dessert discovery ice creamIn tandem with the trend of gourmet and cultural spots across Vietnam gaining international recognition, like this, DIFF is also raising its global brand power as an Asian fireworks festival.
DIFF 2026: key facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official name | Da Nang International Fireworks Festival 2026（DIFF 2026） |
| Theme | Da Nang – United Horizons |
| Dates | May 30-July 11, 2026 (six nights in all) |
| Venue | The Han River port area (Da Nang Marina) |
| Participating teams | 10 teams from 9 countries (including 4 debut teams) |
| Japanese team's competition date | Saturday, June 13, Culture night |
| Ticket price range | 1,000,000-4,000,000 VND (about 6,000-24,000 yen) |
| Official ticket purchase | Sun World sales channels, the official DIFF website, on-site booths |
| Access | About 15 minutes by car from Da Nang International Airport |
Summary
DIFF 2026 is one of Southeast Asia's largest fireworks events, where 10 teams from nine countries, including Japan, compete in skill against the backdrop of Da Nang's Han River. The Japanese team (Tamaya Kitahara Fireworks) competes on June 13, with a showdown against Italy ahead. Tickets can be had from the 6,000-yen range, and direct flights to Da Nang are plentiful. If you're planning to visit central Vietnam from late May to mid-July, why not work fireworks viewing into your itinerary?
