Awa Odori Kaikan, Tokushima

Watch Tokushima's Awa Odori dance, said to be over 400 years old, every day of the year, not just at festival time. At the end, the audience joins in.

Front of the Awa Odori Kaikan building with a large sedge-hat sculpture beside the entrance — Photo: 阿波おどり会館, 徳島県徳島市, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

The Awa Odori Kaikan lit up at night — Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Awa Odori, all year round

Awa Odori is a dance festival held in Tokushima city every August during Obon (the summer festival for honouring ancestors), and it is said to have a history of more than 400 years. To the sound of shamisen (a three-stringed lute), taiko drums, flutes and kane (small gongs), dance groups called ren dance their way through the streets.

Awa Odori Kaikan was opened by Tokushima city in July 1999 to preserve and pass on the dance and to let visitors enjoy it all year round. It stands in central Tokushima at the foot of Mount Bizan.

Daytime and evening shows, and joining in

Performances are held every day in the Awa Odori Hall on the 2nd floor. In the daytime the hall's resident ren, Awa no Kaze, gives four shows a day of about 40 minutes each. In the evening a different famous ren appears each day for one show of about 50 minutes.

Both shows include a part where the audience can try the dance. As the festival chant goes, "The dancers are fools and the watchers are fools; if we are all fools, why not dance?" The way to enjoy Awa Odori is not just to watch but to dance along.

The museum and the Mount Bizan Ropeway

The Awa Odori Museum on the 3rd floor displays old and modern costumes, props and narimono (musical instruments), showing how the dance has changed over time.

The 5th floor is the boarding point for the Mount Bizan Ropeway, which reaches the summit in about 6 minutes. On the 1st floor is a shop selling Tokushima specialities and souvenirs.

Getting there

It is about 10 minutes' walk from JR Tokushima Station, or about 15 minutes by car from Tokushima Interchange.

Show times, prices and ropeway hours may change, so check the official website.

Tips

The daytime shows are by the resident ren, Awa no Kaze, and a different famous ren performs each evening. You can see which ren is appearing on the official website.
During Tokushima City's Awa Odori festival in August (11 to 15 August in 2026), the area around the hall gets very crowded.
After watching the dance, take the Mount Bizan Ropeway from the same building up to the summit for a view over Tokushima city.