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Awa Odori dance festival
Head to Tokushima for the most famous and boisterous of Shikoku's summer dance festivals.
In August Shikoku Island comes alive with dance festivals, the most famous of which takes place in Tokushima. Here the festival which lasts for three days is called the Awa Odori; Awa is an old name for Tokushima Prefecture while odori means dance.
The highlight of the festival is an evening parade of thousands of dancers divided into groups each dancing their own repeated moves through the city streets. Some groups also play traditional instruments and each team has a different uniform of colourful yukata (light cotton kimono) and happi jackets and shorts.
Can't make it to Tokushima in August? Fear not, daily dances are performed for visitors to the Awa Odori Kaikan museum along with information exhibits about the festival. A cable car runs from the museum to the summit of Mount Bizan for great views across Tokushima City.
When to go: 12th to 15th August
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: + 44 117 244 3380
A quick note about our experiences: Our experiences are designed to be part of a complete, tailor-made travel package and are not available to book individually. This allows us to ensure every detail – from accommodation to transport – is perfectly coordinated for you. If you're interested in one of these experiences, we'd love to help you build a full itinerary around it!
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