Tokushima Tourism Association Flag

Updated at 2022-04-17

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Most visitors visit Tokushima for the Awa Dance Festival. The Awa odori, or Awa dance, performed during the festival originated in Tokushima some 400 years ago. It is known as the "Big Three," along with Gujo odori of Gifu and Nishimonai bon odori of Akita. The dance is performed to the music of the shamisen lute, taiko drums, shinobue flute, and kane bell. Performers dance and chant as they parade the streets, occasionally inviting onlookers to join in. The Awa Dance Festival is held in August each year. People dance on the streets until late at night, and the lively atmosphere brings a coolness to the summer night.

Details

Name

Tokushima Tourism Association Flag

Giver

Eisaku Asahi Chairman of the Awa Promotion Association

Friendly States

Japan

City

Tokushima Prefecture

Language: Japanese
Area: 4,147 square kilometers
Population: Approx. 680,000 people
Main Industries/Features: Situated in eastern Shikoku, Tokushima is connected to Kansai and the rest of Shikoku by Tokushima Awaodori Airport, Tokushima Port, and expressways. Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries form the backbone of its economy, producing specialties such as Naruto sweet potatoes, lotus root, and Awa-o chicken. It is also home to the Naruto Whirlpools––a popular tourist attraction. The prefecture is also home to the traditional Awa dance, a Bon festival with over 400 years of history, drawing huge crowds every summer as one of Japan’s most celebrated traditional events.