Awa Odori Festival Kicks off in Tokushima; Performers Dance Through Heavy Rain During Famous Summer Event

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:47 JST, August 13, 2025

TOKUSHIMA — The Awa Odori dance festival, a quintessential summer festival, opened at outdoor dance venues in Tokushima on Tuesday.

Indoor performances of the Awa Odori began Monday. Then, on Tuesday at 6 p.m., outdoor performances kicked off at five venues across the city.

Despite heavy rain, dance groups, known as “ren,” performed the graceful “onna odori” (women’s dance) and the powerful “otoko odori” (men’s dance).

The lively sounds of flutes, drums and other traditional instruments accompanied their performances.

A 49-year-old homemaker from Mitoyo, Kagawa Prefecture, who was experiencing the festival for the first time, enjoyed the performances, saying, “The dancing and the sounds of the drums and flutes were completely unified.”