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Awa Odori Dance Festival Tours

Awa Odori Dance Festival Tours

Awa Odori is a large dance festival in Tokushima Prefecture that happens on August 12th-15th as part of the Obon season.

Awa Odori is the most famous and largest dance festival in Japan. Awa Odori is known to be associated with this phrase. “It’s a fool who dances and a fool who watches. If both are fools, you might as well have fun dancing.” It is the translated lyrics that come from a common dance song in Japan. This dance festival happens in Tokushima Prefecture during the Obon (festival of the dead) Festival. It is said that the spirits of the deceased visit their living relatives for a few days during Obon. The Awa Odori has thousands of dancers broken down into groups ranging from amateurs to seasoned practitioners.

These groups are referred to as “ren” and performed in designated streets, which are blocked off from traffic. Along with the dancers are traditional instruments like the taiko, shamisen, flute, etc. that provide the musical rhythm of the performance. The women wear a yukata (a light cotton kimono) with amigasa (a woven rush grass hat) and the men wear a happi (light cotton coat) over shorts. The main dance performances begin at 6pm and usually conclude around 10pm each night. You can pay for reserved seating that ranges from 800 to 2100 yen. Outside of these stage areas are food and game stalls that people can enjoy throughout the and at night. The Awa Odori can trace its beginnings back to 1587 when Hachisuka Iemasa (feudal lord at the time) wanted to celebrate the completion of Tokushima Castle. He offered sake (rice wine) to all the citizens of the city, which resulted in many people dancing in a drunken state. Since then it had turn into a city wide dance celebration. If you are not able to make it to see the dances then you can visit the Awa Odori Kaikan, which is a museum showcasing the history of the festival. There is also a dance hall where you can see some dance demonstrations.

Please see below for tours that include Awa Odori Dance Festival:

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    question mark icon         Tour#: GTM1729061

Best of Japan Tour Summer: Tokushima Awa Odori Dance Festival arrow readmore icon

Tokyo / Mt Fuji / Hakone / Koka / Kyoto / Nara / Osaka / Tokushima / Takamatsu / Oboke Gorge / Shimanami Kaido / Hiroshima / Kurashiki / Himeji / Kobe

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11 Days 10 Nights | from US $4598.00

Perfect for those who want to visit the well known regions of Japan.

Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Save Status
Fri. Aug 8, 2025 Mon. Aug 18, 2025 US $4598.00 Tokyo Osaka Deluxe Guarantee / Book Now  
Sat. Aug 8, 2026 Tue. Aug 18, 2026 US $4598.00 Tokyo Osaka Deluxe Guarantee / Book Now  
    question mark icon         Tour#: GTD5285201

Best of Japan Tour Summer: Tokushima Awa Odori Dance Festival with Expo 2025 Osaka arrow readmore icon

Tokyo / Mt Fuji / Hakone / Koka / Kyoto / Nara / Osaka / Tokushima / Takamatsu / Oboke Gorge / Shimanami Kaido / Hiroshima / Kurashiki / Himeji / Kobe / Osaka

    151 reviews

12 Days 11 Nights | from US $4898.00

Perfect for those who want to visit the well known regions of Japan, plus Expo 2025 Osaka.

Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Save Status
Fri. Aug 8, 2025 Tue. Aug 19, 2025 US $4898.00 Tokyo Osaka Deluxe Guarantee / Book Now  
    question mark icon         Tour#: GTX1739280

Japan Summer Highlights: Lavenders & Tohoku 3 Great Summer Festivals arrow readmore icon

Furano / Biei / Otaru / Sapporo / Shiraoi / Noboribetsu / Lake Toya / Hakodate / Seikan Tunnel / Aomori / Akita / Kakunodate / Hiraizumi / Sendai / Matsushima / Urabandai / Aizu Wakamatsu / Nikko / Tokyo / Mt Fuji / Hakone / Koka / Kyoto / Nara / Osaka / Tokushima / Takamatsu / Oboke Gorge / Shimanami Kaido / Hiroshima / Kurashiki / Himeji / Kobe

    3 reviews

21 Days 20 Nights | from US $8798.00

This tour features Japan Summer Highlights including the summer flowers, festivals & fireworks.

Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Save Status
Tue. Jul 29, 2025 Mon. Aug 18, 2025 US $8798.00 Sapporo Osaka Deluxe Guarantee / Book Now  
Wed. Jul 29, 2026 Tue. Aug 18, 2026 US $8798.00 Sapporo Osaka Deluxe Guarantee / Book Now  
    question mark icon         Tour#: GTQ5278848

Japan Summer Highlights: Lavenders & Tohoku 3 Great Summer Festivals with Expo 2025 Osaka arrow readmore icon

Furano / Biei / Otaru / Sapporo / Shiraoi / Noboribetsu / Lake Toya / Hakodate / Seikan Tunnel / Aomori / Akita / Kakunodate / Hiraizumi / Sendai / Matsushima / Urabandai / Aizu Wakamatsu / Nikko / Tokyo / Mt Fuji / Hakone / Koka / Kyoto / Nara / Osaka / Tokushima / Takamatsu / Oboke Gorge / Shimanami Kaido / Hiroshima / Kurashiki / Himeji / Kobe / Osaka

    3 reviews

22 Days 21 Nights | from US $9098.00

This tour features Japan Summer Highlights including the summer flowers, festivals & fireworks, plus Expo 20205 Osaka Kansai.

Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Save Status
Tue. Jul 29, 2025 Tue. Aug 19, 2025 US $9098.00 Sapporo Osaka Deluxe Guarantee / Book Now  




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