Awa Odori
Tokushima's five-day Obon dance festival on 11–15 August: free street dancing against paid grandstand sessions, how to dance in a niwaka ren, and how to get there from Osaka.
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Awa Odori in short
Awa Odori is held in Tokushima every year from 11 to 15 August, so 11 to 15 August 2027, according to the organiser. The 11th is an opening stage show; the street dancing runs 12 to 15 August. Dancing in the streets and at free venues costs nothing. Paid grandstand venues use reserved seats in two sessions a night, and in 2026 tickets went on sale on 1 July. From Osaka a highway bus is the most convenient way in.
What happens when
- Wed 11 Aug
- Opening stage show, ticketed. In 2026 it ran at Asty Tokushima at 12:00, 15:30 and 19:00.
- 12 to 15 Aug, from 6pm
- Street dancing across central Tokushima by dance groups called ren. Niwaka ren, open to beginners, dance on the same nights.
- 12 to 15 Aug, two sessions
- Paid enbujo venues run two seated sessions a night. In 2026 they were 6:00pm to 7:40pm and 8:20pm to 10:00pm.
- Before the festival
- In 2026 the Naruto City Awa Odori was held on 9 August, two days before.
Where Awa Odori happens
Dates are for 2027 where they have been announced.
Where to watch the dancing
- Free
Street dancing and free venues
Dancing also happens in squares and shopping streets, and the free venues at Ryogoku Honmachi and Shinmachibashi cost nothing.
Free
- A seat
SanSan Aiba-hama Enbujo
A paid venue five minutes on foot from JR Tokushima station. Reserved seating means no saving a spot.
Paid, two sessions a night
- Two more paid venues
Minami-uchimachi and Konya-machi
The other two paid enbujo in 2026. A special reserved seat at Minami-uchimachi cost ¥15,000.
Paid
- Dance yourself
Niwaka ren
Beginner groups that let visitors dance with them from 12 to 15 August.
Details on awaodorimirai.com
The Awa Odori guide
The five days
Awa Odori is held in central Tokushima every year from 11 to 15 August, during Obon. The organiser's site says it runs those five days each year. Bushikaku, a Japanese travel site, dates its history to about 400 years and links its growth to the Hachisuka clan's arrival in Tokushima in 1586 and the wealth from indigo and salt. Walker Plus puts attendance at about 1.1 million over the four days of dancing, based on past years.
The 11th is an opening stage show: in 2026 it ran at Asty Tokushima as the ticketed "Takumi no Butai Yuuribi", with shows at 12:00, 15:30 and 19:00. The street dancing runs from the 12th to the 15th, which in 2027 is Thursday to Sunday. Dance groups called ren perform from 6pm. The Naruto City Awa Odori, a smaller one nearby, was held on 9 August in 2026.
Free and paid
Free street dancing and free venues
Dancing also happens in town squares and shopping streets outside the main venues, and you watch for free. Bushikaku lists free venues at Ryogoku Honmachi and Shinmachibashi, and dance plazas at Shinmachibashi East and Ryogokubashi South.
Paid enbujo
The paid enbujo are dance venues with reserved grandstand seating, so you do not need to hold a spot. In 2026 there were three: SanSan Aiba-hama, five minutes on foot from JR Tokushima station, Awagin Minami-uchimachi and Bal Konya-machi. They ran two sessions a night with the audience rotating, 6:00pm to 7:40pm and 8:20pm to 10:00pm, from 12 to 15 August. Times may differ by venue.
Seat prices in 2026, before ticketing fees, were ¥6,000 for SS, ¥3,000 for S, ¥2,500 for A, ¥2,000 for B and ¥1,000 for C, with a ¥15,000 special reserved seat at Minami-uchimachi, according to travel agency NTA. A new SS category was added in 2026. Presale ran 13 to 21 June and general sale started on 1 July through Ticket Pia and the official site.
- Reserved seats, so no saving a spot
- Two sessions a night, 6:00pm and 8:20pm in 2026
- Sold in advance through Ticket Pia and the official site
Dancing yourself
Niwaka ren
A niwaka ren is a drop-in group that anyone can join. The Japanese site Hugkum says in 2026 there was no advance application and no dress code, that local well-known groups teach the steps on site, and that the dance is simple: raise your hands and move your feet. The organiser lists niwaka ren performances for 12 to 15 August. Which venue and time slot a niwaka ren uses is on awaodorimirai.com.
Getting there
From Kansai, Bushikaku calls the highway bus the most convenient way to reach Tokushima. The Shinkansen with a limited express needs transfers and costs more. From Nagoya or Tokyo, take the Shinkansen to Osaka or Kobe and then a highway bus, or an overnight bus direct. See Osaka in 2 days for the Kansai end.
The dancing goes ahead in light rain, and Walker Plus says it is canceled in heavy rain or storms.
Where to sleep
The center of Tokushima holds the festival: SanSan Aiba-hama is five minutes from JR Tokushima station, and Minami-uchimachi and Konya-machi are the other two paid venues. Osaka is the alternative base with the highway bus; see where to stay in Osaka. For a longer trip around the island, see Shikoku in 7 days.
- Five minutes to the Aiba-hama venue
- Priciest nights of the year
Where to stay for Awa Odori
Tours and tickets
Partner options we would book ourselves.
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Awa Odori FAQ
When is Awa Odori 2027?
11 to 15 August 2027. The organiser, the Awa Odori future committee, says the festival is held from 11 to 15 August every year. The 11th is an opening stage show and the street dancing runs from the 12th to the 15th.
Is Awa Odori free?
Largely. Street dancing and the free venues cost nothing. Paid venues, with reserved seats, and the opening show are ticketed. In 2026 presale ran 13 to 21 June and general sale started on 1 July through Ticket Pia and the official site. Seats cost ¥1,000 to ¥6,000, with a ¥15,000 special reserved seat at Minami-uchimachi, before ticketing fees.
Can visitors dance?
Yes, in a niwaka ren, a group open to beginners, from 12 to 15 August. Details are on the organiser's site, awaodorimirai.com.
How many people come?
About 1.1 million visitors over the four days, based on past years, according to Walker Plus.
What if it rains?
Walker Plus says the dancing goes ahead in light rain and is canceled in heavy rain or storms.
How do I get to Tokushima from Osaka?
A highway bus is the most convenient option from Kansai, according to Bushikaku. The Shinkansen with a limited express needs transfers and costs more. From Tokyo or Nagoya, take the Shinkansen to Osaka or Kobe and then a highway bus, or an overnight bus.