Indoor Fireworks in a Cool Dome: Planetarium Manten's Welcome Dome Returns to Ikebukuro for Summer 2026
Tokyo summer fireworks typically mean sweltering humidity, riverside crowds, and mosquito repellent. The Fireworks Welcome Dome at the Konica Minolta Planetarium "Manten" in Sunshine City Ikebukuro offers the opposite experience: fantasy fireworks projected across the full planetarium dome, in air conditioning, with photography allowed. The 2026 edition runs from July 17 through August 31.
The concept is simple but unusual. For approximately 5 to 10 minutes before each regular planetarium screening, the dome fills with a welcome video showing fireworks blooming across the full spherical projection surface. The video replaces the standard pre-show dark silence with something designed to be a destination in itself — a fantasy fireworks display that uses the planetarium's projection system to create a sense of depth and scale that flat screens cannot match.
Why photography is the point
What sets the Welcome Dome apart from a standard planetarium pre-show is that photography is explicitly permitted during the welcome video. This is rare. Most planetarium programs in Japan prohibit all photography during screenings to preserve the dark-environment experience and protect copyright on the projected content. By allowing it during the welcome video, the Manten team has effectively created a summer Instagram content opportunity inside a planetarium — dome fireworks reflecting across a dark curved surface, captured from reclining seats.
The practical implication is that the Welcome Dome has become a summer social media draw, particularly for the demographic that finds outdoor fireworks festivals too hot, too crowded, or too far from central Tokyo. Ikebukuro Station is one of Tokyo's busiest transit hubs, and Sunshine City is directly connected to it via underground passages — meaning the entire experience, from train to dome, can be completed without stepping into summer heat.
How to experience it
The Welcome Dome is not a standalone ticket. To see it, visitors must purchase a ticket for a regular planetarium screening at Manten, and the welcome video plays in the period between when the dome opens for seating and when the main program begins. The video runs for approximately 10 minutes from the opening of the dome, so arriving early is strongly recommended — visitors who enter the dome just before the screening starts may find the video already finished.
Not all screenings include the Welcome Dome. The official Konica Minolta Planetarium website lists which programs are eligible, and visitors should check in advance if the Welcome Dome is the primary reason for their visit. The planetarium's regular programming includes a mix of relaxing programs, music-themed shows, and collaboratively produced content with anime and game franchises — so combining a specific program with the Welcome Dome is a reasonable summer evening plan.
The broader context: indoor summer in Ikebukuro
The Welcome Dome is part of a broader pattern of Ikebukuro's indoor attractions repositioning themselves for summer 2026. The adjacent Sunshine Aquarium Refreshing Summer Festival runs its soaking sea lion performances on the same building's rooftop. The Ancient Orient Museum summer exhibition on the 7th floor of the adjacent Bunka Kaikan Building runs through September 6. And on the second floor of the World Import Mart Building, two major anime 20th anniversary exhibitions — Haruhi Suzumiya and The Familiar of Zero — run from August 10 to 30.
Together, these form a coherent indoor summer itinerary: arrive at Ikebukuro Station, take the underground passage to Sunshine City, and spend an entire day exploring the World Import Mart Building, the Bunka Kaikan Building, and the Sunshine 60 observatory without ever stepping into 35°C heat. The Planetarium Manten, located on the same floor as NAMJATOWN, fits naturally into this loop.
Practical Details
- Dates: July 17 to August 31, 2026
- Venue: Konica Minolta Planetarium "Manten", Sunshine City World Import Mart Bldg., 3-1-2 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
- Nearest station: Ikebukuro Station (8 min walk), Higashi-Ikebukuro Station (3 min walk)
- Price: Planetarium screening ticket required. Prices vary by program.
- Website: planetarium.konicaminolta.jp/event/hanabi
