Awa Odori

One of Japan’s three major Bon Odori festivals, where you can enjoy dancing to the exclusion of all else

The Awa Odori is one of Japan’s three major Bon Odori festivals, and one of the three major festivals in Shikoku. The dance is a traditional Japanese art form with a history of approximately 400 years. “Awa Odori” is a common name for the Urabon dances that take place in various parts of Tokushima Prefecture, with the name coming into general use during the early Showa period. Shamisen, taiko drums, small gongs, shinobue (a transverse flute made of bamboo) and other instruments accompany the dance in a two-beat rhythm as the dance group (ren) dances in procession.

Urabon: A set of ceremonies and customs based on a mixture of Chinese folk beliefs, ancestor worship and Buddhist memorial services. In Japan, it is celebrated for four days from August 13th to the 16th. Also called “O-bon.”