Tokushima Awa Odori

Awa Odori is a huuge dance event here in Tokushima. Even though only 200k souls live in our city, over a million people come over to see the dancing. The city center becomes totally unrecognizable during this time, streets are taken over by dancers and the people watching them. The dancers are mostly not professionals, rather they are groups that anyone can form and participate with. If you work for a Japanese company in Tokushima, you may be expected to participate in the company dance group. Masses of people attract commerce too, booths line up the streets where vendors sell everything from grilled chicken to One Piece anime goods to dog shaped balloons on wheels that kids can pull around as a pet substitute.