Awa Dance Festival is a traditional performance art in Tokushima Prefecture. It is the most famous festival in Shikoku Region. Awa Odori, Awa Dance, has over 400 years of history and nowadays, it is popular all over Japan.
Awa Odori in Tokushima is held every summer and this year starts from August 11 to 15. Over 1 million people come to see it domestically and internationally. During the festival, the main streets will be pedestrian zones and there are many food stands called “Yatai” around the river sides. It has an exciting atmosphere.
There are many different types of Awa Odori dances and the differences are the way to dance and the rhythm. The entire Japanese culture has become modernized around the meiji and taisho period and Awa Odori also takes in western instruments such as a violin. The costumes become more gorgeous year by year as the culture is modernizing.
