It has the ability to pull in 1.2 million people in the three days of Bon, and it is the largest Bon Dancing in the world.
「”Ehra yacha, ehra yacha, yoi yoi yoi yoi.” “The fools who dance and the fools who watch the dance, you better join the dance if you are fools anyway.” Every Japanese knows this lyric of the Bon Dancing. This is a simple and powerful dance which you march forward waving your hands above your head. Sho (a traditional Japanese wind instrument resembling panpipes), drums, samisen makes a strong rhythm of the southern country, and you can’t forget it once you hear it. You can’t talk about Bon Dancing in Japan without Awa Dancing.
In recent years, it is prone to be taken as one of those events of tourism. However, it grew up together with the people who gained power during the modern times, and it can be said that it is a rare folk art to the point that it is still continuing to grow and develop.
| Schedule/Location | |
|---|---|
| Schedule | August 13 to 15 |
| Location | Throughout Tokushima City |
| Transportation | |
| Trains | Take JR Tokkyu (Limited Express) gUzushioh from JR Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen Okayama Station and get off at Tokushima Station (About 2 hours and 20 min.) |
| Planes | Get off at Tokushima Airport (30 minutes on a bus to the city) |
| Buses | Take JR Sanyo Honsen from JR Sanyo Shinkansen Nishi Akashi Station and get off at Maiko Station (About 10 min.)Get on Tokushima Bus from Kousoku Maiko and it takes an hour and 20 minutes to Tokushima City. |
| Cars | Get on Kobe Awaji Naruto Jidousha Dou (Kobe Awaji Naruto Motor Road) from Tarumi IC (Kobe) and drive on Kokudou 11(Route 11) via Naruto IC |