Awa Odori
◆ Event Introduction
Awa Odori is Japan's largest and most famous traditional dance festival, held annually in central Tokushima City on the island of Shikoku during the Obon season in August. The festival attracts over one million visitors over several days, filling the city streets with the rhythmic sounds of shamisen, taiko drums, shinobue flutes, and kane bells. Dancers form teams called "ren," parading energetically through the streets in a captivating display of Japanese culture and community spirit.
The festival is celebrated with the famous chant: "The dancers are fools, the watchers are fools; if both are fools, you'd be foolish not to dance!" This spirited saying captures the inclusive and joyful essence of Awa Odori, inviting everyone to join in.
◆ Historical Background
Awa Odori has over 400 years of history, with various theories about its exact origins. A well-known legend holds that in 1586, when the feudal lord Hachisuka Iemasa completed Tokushima Castle, the townspeople celebrated with such wild dancing and revelry that it laid the foundation for the unique style of today's Awa Odori.
During the Edo period, the dance flourished as a popular Obon event throughout Awa Province, the historical name for Tokushima. Over the centuries, the festival grew in scale and significance, eventually becoming one of Japan's most iconic cultural events and a symbol of Tokushima Prefecture.
◆ Event Details
📅 Date: August 11th to 15th every year (the main outdoor festival runs August 12th to 15th)
🕖 Evening performances: 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (two blocks each night)
🎭 Daytime stage performances: 11:00 AM to 5:10 PM (at Awagin Hall, August 12th to 15th)
📍 Venue: Central Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku
◆ Venues and Performances
🏟️ Paid Performance Venues (Evening)
Three main outdoor stages host evening performances featuring skilled ren groups:
- Aibahama Performance Venue
- Minamiuchimachi Performance Venue
- Konyamachi Performance Venue
🎉 Free Street Venues (Evening)
Multiple open street venues allow visitors to enjoy the dancing up close at no cost:
- Ryogoku Honmachi area
- Shinmachi Bridge area
- Various other locations throughout central Tokushima
🎭 Special Performances
- "Expert Stage SUGURIBI" on August 11th at Asty Tokushima, featuring top-level ren showcases
- "Dream Stage MATSURIBI" daytime performances at Awagin Hall (August 12th to 15th)
◆ Highlights
💃 "Niwaka Ren" - Dance as a Visitor!
Visitors can join the festival as dancers without belonging to a formal ren through the "Niwaka Ren" program. No reservation is required, casual clothes are welcome, and experienced dancers teach the basic steps before participants enter an official performance route together. Meeting point is in front of Awa Bank Head Office, about 8 minutes on foot from JR Tokushima Station.
🎶 Traditional Music and Dance
Experience the mesmerizing combination of shamisen, taiko drums, shinobue flutes, and kane bells as hundreds of dancers move in synchronized formations through the illuminated streets.
🏯 Cultural Immersion
The festival offers a rare opportunity to experience authentic Japanese folk culture in a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere that has remained largely unchanged for centuries.
◆ Access
The main festival area is within 10 to 15 minutes walking distance south and east of JR Tokushima Station. All major venues are accessible on foot from the station area.
◆ Important Notes
⚠️ This page is for event information only. For inquiries about viewing arrangements, please feel free to contact us directly. Please note that availability cannot be guaranteed.
⚠️ Hotels in Tokushima City sell out months in advance during the festival period. Many visitors stay in nearby cities such as Naruto or Takamatsu and commute by train.
⚠️ Events proceed in light rain, but heavy storms may lead to cancellations of outdoor venues.
⚠️ Light summer clothing is recommended as mid-August in Tokushima is hot and humid.
Tokushima/Naruto Festivals & Events
