The Popular Awa Odori Dance Festival of Tokushima This video, titled "AWA ODORI - IS JAPAN COOL? MATSURI - Festival (Awa Odori Dance Festival/Tokushima)" (AWA ODORI - IS JAPAN COOL? MATSURI - 祭 （阿波踊り／徳島）), was uploaded by ANA Global Channel. It introduces the Awa Odori Dance Festival of Tokushima. Among the various festivals held in Japan throughout the year, Tokushima's Awa Odori Dance Festival is one of the most famous and popular festivals among Japanese people. In this article, we'll introduce the origins and history of the Awa Odori Dance Festival, as well as some nearby tourist attractions! The History of the Awa Odori Dance Festival Photo：Taiko drums at Awa Odori, Tokushima Prefecture The Awa Odori Dance Festival is a festival with a history dating back more than 400 years in Tokushima, which was once referred to as Awa Province. The festival's history dates back to the Edo Period (1603-1868) when indigo merchants in the Awa Province enjoyed the entertainment of geisha. After the Meiji Period (1868-1912), the content of the dance became gradually more refined. If you want to learn more about the history of the Awa Odori Dance Festival, we recommend visiting Awaodori Kaikan, a museum in the center of Tokushima City. More About the Awa Odori Dance Festival Photo：Awa Odori, Tokushima Prefecture Bon dances and festivals are held in many parts of Japan during the Obon season. The Awa Odori Dance Festival in Tokushima is one of the bon festival events, and is called "Awa no Bon Odori." It is held from August 12th to 15th every year. The scale of the event is so large that it is considered one of the three major Bon Dances in Japan and one of the three major festivals of Shikoku (the smallest of Japan’s major islands). More than 100,000 dancers participate in the Awa Odori Dance Festival, and over a million visitors come to the festival each year. From just the sheer number of visitors, it's easy to understand that it's a popular festival that represents Japanese culture. Feel the Heat of the Awa Odori Dance Festival! Photo：Awa Odori, Tokushima Prefecture As you can see at 8:26 in the video, the music of Tokushima's Awa Odori uses traditional Japanese instruments, such as drums, gongs, flutes, and shamisen. The people who join the dance wear kimono or yukata, braided hats, geta (wooden clogs) and carry lanterns. There are two types of dances, men's dance and women's dance, be sure to watch both as they're quite different. At the end of the festival, more than 1,000 people dance in unison, and the streets are filled with music and cheering. If you want to experience the power of the festival with a good view, we recommend purchasing bleacher seats, like the ones shown in the video. By joining the "Niwaka-ren" dance group on the day of the festival, you can have a blast dancing at the festival! This can be seen at 11:18 in the video. Summary of Tokushima's Awa Odori Dance Festival Photo：Awa Odori, Tokushima Prefecture The Awa Odori Dance Festival is a traditional festival that shows us the beauty of Japan through traditional performing arts. There's a saying in Japanese that goes “Odoru aho ni miru aho, onaji aho nara odoranya son son” (踊る阿呆にみる阿呆、同じ阿呆なら踊らにゃ損々), which roughly translates to "If the dancer is a fool, so too then is the spectator, so why not everybody dance?!" Joining in the Awa Odori Dance Festival will make for an unforgettable experience! 【Tripadvisor】Awa Odori https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298236-d10019439-Reviews-Awa_Odori-Tokushima_Tokushima_Prefecture_Shikoku.html

Five of Tokushima Prefecture's Most Attractive Tourist Spots This video, titled "Undiscovered Tokushima, The Real Tokushima ~ Full ~," was released by "The City of Water / Tokushima City Tourism Channel" (水都・徳島市観光チャンネル). Awa Odori is a famous attraction in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, located in Japan's Shikoku region, but there are many other attractive sightseeing spots in Tokushima Prefecture as well. This time, we'll introduce 5 recommended activities to enjoy in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture. [Tokushima Recommendation #1] Traditional Performing Arts, Historical Heritages, and Other Japanese Culture Source :YouTube screenshot As you can see from 0:45 in the video, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, has a traditional culture called Awa Ningyo Joruri (a type of traditional puppet theatre), which is a nationally designated Important Intangible Cultural Property. In addition, Awa Aizome (indigo dyeing), seen from 0:39, is one of Tokushima's traditional industries. At the Aizome Craft Center (藍染工芸館, Aizome Kougeikan), you can experience aizome dyeing classes and buy craftwork that give you a sense of history and culture, as souvenirs. In addition, Tokushima is dotted with many historical heritage sites, such as ancient tombs, temples, and shrines. A valuable excavation site can be seen at Awashima Historic Park. It's a recommended sightseeing route for taking walks in Tokushima while feeling the history and culture. [Tokushima Recommendation #2] Shikoku Henro, a Temple Pilgrimage Photo：Ryozenji Temple, Tokushima Prefecture Shikoku Henro is a traditional pilgrimage in Japan. The first of the 88 temples in Shikoku, which were founded by Kobo Daishi, is Ryozenji Temple, located in Tokushima Prefecture. There are 22 pilgrimage sites in Tokushima Prefecture. The pilgrimage route also has shukuba (lodging), so if you're looking to complete the pilgrimage on foot consider staying at these. You can see images of the pilgrimage from 0:17 in the video. [Tokushima Recommendation #3] Activities To Enjoy With Children Photo：Bentenyama, Tokushima Prefecture Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, is also known as the city of water. Every July, there are lots of activities that you can enjoy with your children, such as the Tokushima Hyotanjima Water City Festival (徳島ひょうたん島水都祭り, Tokushima Hyotanjima Suito Matsuri) and the Hyotanjima Cruise! The model of Hyokkori Hyoutanjima, a puppet show on NHK, was Hyoutanjima in Tokushima City. And there's another recommended activity that you can enjoy with your children! That is, climbing the mountain, Bentenyama, which is famous as the smallest mountain in Japan. Adults can reach the summit in 1 minute! If you climb the stairs, there is a shrine that enshrines Benzaiten, so why not enjoy a casual mountain climb with your kids and bring along some lunch to enjoy as well? The Tokushima Zoo, where you can experience feeding animals, is also a little-known tourist spot. [Tokushima Recommendation #4] Local Gourmet Food in Tokushima Photo：Gourmet Food in Tokushima Prefecture Tokushima is full of finger-licking-good gourmet spots! The one we recommend most is the local okonomiyaki "Mametentama," which can only be eaten in Tokushima. This is sweetly stewed Kintoki beans made into tempura (Kakiage in Tokyo style) and then made into okonomiyaki. The okonomiyaki sauce and sweet beans are a perfect match and are totally addictive. If you get tired of walking, you can always take a break and try Tokushima's famous Taki-no-yakimochi, at a cafe in Mt. Bizan. Taki-no-yakimochi is a local dessert that uses the famous water from Kinryosui Spring on Mt. Bizan, which was loved by successive generations of Tokushima feudal lords. Matcha goes great with the slightly sweet mochi. If you're hungry, try Tokushima's specialty, Niku-dama ramen, and replenish your stamina! You can see the popular gourmet foods of Tokushima prefecture from 1:21 in the video. [Tokushima Recommendation #5] The Beautiful Natural Scenery of Mt. Bizan and Awa Odori Source :YouTube screenshot You can see the whole view of the cityscape of Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture from Mt. Bizan. Also, you can climb to the mountaintop from the 5th floor of the Awa Odori Hall (阿波おどり会館, Awaodori Kaikan) by ropeway; and during this, you can enjoy traveling through the air while enjoying a spectacular view of Mt. Bizan and the sea. Awa Odori is a must-see for anyone sightseeing in Tokushima. Awa Odori has a male dance and a female dance, and the dance is performed by an organization called "Ren" (連). Every August, the city of Tokushima comes to life with many locals and tourists attending the event. You can see the scenes of Awa Odori from 1:51 in the video. Summary of the Attractions of Tokushima Prefecture Photo：Yoshino River, Tokushima Prefecture In this article we introduced 5 exciting activities to enjoy in Tokushima Prefecture, but what do you think? The Yoshino River crosses through Tokushima, the city of water, and the sea of Tokushima is a mecca for surfing in Japan's Chugoku and Shikoku regions. In Japanese mythology, Shikoku is said to have been the first Island created in the Japanese archipelago, and it is a historically valuable place. Be sure to visit Tokushima Prefecture, a place of mythology, water, culture and history! When the Awa Odori Festival is held, reservations for hotels and inns will be limited, so we recommend making reservations early. 【Official Website】Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture City Hall Website https://www.city.tokushima.tokushima.jp/smph/

Drone Footage of the Whirlpools of the Seto Inland Sea and the Onaruto Bridge! The video that we'll introduce today is called "[Aerial View] Seto Inland Sea Whirlpools｜Drone Footage of Onaruto Bridge [4K]｜Tokushima to Awaji Island, Hyogo" (【絶景空撮】瀬戸内海・渦潮 ドローン空撮 大鳴門橋【4K】（四国徳島〜兵庫淡路島）). The video was created by "winteroptix." It shows beautiful drone footage of the whirlpools of the Seto Inland Sea and the Onaruto Bridge. You can enjoy a beautiful view of the Seto Inland Sea, the Naruto whirlpools, and the magnificent scenery of the Onaruto Bridge, all in one video! The Onaruto Bridge and Whirlpools of the Seto Inland Sea Photo：Onaruto Bridge Onaruto Bridge (大鳴門橋,Onarutokyo) is a suspension bridge that connects Fukurahei, Minamiawaji City, Hyogo Prefecture and Tosadomariura, Naruto Town, Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture. The bridge is 1,629 meters long and 25 meters wide, and its main tower is 144.3 meters tall. Honshu-Shikoku Bridge (本州四国連絡船橋, Honshushikokurenrakukyo), Onaruto Bridge, and Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (明石海峡大橋, Akashikaikyoohashi) are 3 of the most crucial traffic routes connecting Honshu (本州) and the Shikoku Region (四国地方,Shikokuchiho). Since the bridges span the sea, they are often closed to traffic due to wind speeds, so be careful when passing through. Onaruto Bridge is a motorway so you cannot cross it by foot, bicycle, or scooter. There used to be a ferry company called Naruto Ferry that ran between the Shikoku Region and Awaji Island (淡路島, Awajishima), but it is now out of business. There is a plan to add a railroad to Onaruto Bridge and enable the Shikoku Shinkansen to cross the Seto Inland Sea in the future, so you may one day be able to go to the Shikoku Region by bullet train! The Amazing Naruto Whirlpools Near Onaruto Bridge Photo：Naruto Strait The Naruto whirlpools are whirling tides of water that appear in the Naruto Strait (鳴門海峡, Narutokaikyo). You can observe them at around 0:07 in the video. Some of these whirlpools have a diameter of 20 meters, making them the largest whirlpools in the world. The Naruto whirlpools appear due to currents from the Seto Inland Sea and the Kii Channel (紀伊水道, Kiisuido) violently colliding with one another near Naruto. The area around Naruto has a wide tidal range, with the difference between the high tide and low tide going up 1.5 meters during the spring, and its current is said to be the fastest in Japan. The Naruto Strait is said to be one of the world’s three major currents, along with Italy's Strait of Messina and Canada’s Seymour Narrows. Famous Tourist Spots to View the Whirpools Photo：Naruto whirlpools There's a sidewalk called "Uzu no Michi (渦の道) on Onaruto Bridge, which hangs over the Seto Inland Sea. From here, you can look down at the Naruto whirlpools from the bridge. The area gets many tourists and is famous for being instagrammable! The entry fee is 510 yen for adults, 410 yen for junior high and high school students, and 260 yen for young children. There's also the Onaruto Bridge Museum Eddy (大鳴門橋架橋記念館エディ, Onarutokyo kakyo kinenkan eddy) nearby, so consider dropping by during your visit. The bridge is lit up at night, providing a a beautiful view that you won't be able to see during the day. If you want to observe the Naruto whirlpools up close, we highly recommend taking a cruise on the whirlpool sightseeing boats run by Uzushio-kisen. The cruise ships go near the whirlpools, so you can experience the thrilling natural phenomenon! If you're prone to seasickness, be sure to take some seasickness medicine beforehand! Roadside Station Uzushio (道の駅うずしお, Michinoekiuzushio) and Naruto Park (鳴門公園, Narutokoen) on Awaji Island are great places to stop and rest. Tokushima Prefecture is full of tourist attractions, such as the Awa Odori Festival (Awa Dance Festival​), Tokushima Ramen, and temples included in the "88 Shikoku Temples"! Summary of the Naruto Whirlpools of the Seto Inland Sea Source :YouTube screenshot Today, we introduced drone footage of the whirlpools of the Seto Inland Sea and Onaruto Bridge. If this article/video have you interested in the Naruto whirpools, be sure to visit Tokushima prefecture! 【Tripadvisor】Seto Inland Sea https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g298561-d554137-r138282192-Setonaikai-Hiroshima_Hiroshima_Prefecture_Chugoku.html 【Tripadvisor】Onaruto Bridge https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g678355-d1384640-Reviews-Onaruto_Bridge-Naruto_Tokushima_Prefecture_Shikoku.html

Aizome Dyeing - A Traditional Japanese Craft This video, titled "A Traditional Aizome Dyeing Experience｜nippon.com" (昔ながらの藍染め体験 nippon.com), was released by "nippon.com." The video shows the traditional Japanese dyeing and weaving technique called "Aizome" (藍染, lit. "indigo dyeing") that has been passed down since ancient times in Japan. Those of you interested in traditional Japanese cultures have probably heard of it at one time or another. Kimono and other clothes dyed in indigo blue with "Ai-shiru" (liquid gathered from the leaves of the indigo plant) are resistant to fading and meet the demands of many people. It is also known outside of Japan as JAPAN BLUE. In this article we'll introduce the dyeing process. Be sure to follow along! Aizome Dyeing Source :YouTube screenshot This video shows an Aizome dyeing experience, and provides an easy-to-understand summary of the key points of Aizome. The Aizome dyeing experience shown in the video was taken at "Ai-no-Yakata" in Tokushima Prefecture. You can learn how to create beautiful works using the "Ai-Shiru." Ai-no-Yakata displays resources related to indigo, and is one of Tokushima Prefecture's most popular tourist sites. The Museum is closed on Tuesdays (excluding holidays) and December 28th to January 1st. What is Aizome? Photo：Aizome Aizome refers to dyeing products using indigo, a plant of the Persicaria family. In Japan, indigo dyeing is made from fermented "Persicaria tinctoria," or the Japanese indigo. Aizome was most widely spread in the Edo period (1603-1868). Tokushima Prefecture, as seen in the video, is particularly famous for its Aizome. There are also a number of facilities related to Aizome in Tokushima Prefecture. One of the characteristics of Aizome is that, despite it using one color, there is a wide range of colors used for it, including pale blue-green, light indigo, katsu-iro (a shade of blue darker than dark blue), tome-kon, and Usuai (light blue). Indigo contains polyphenols, and many manufacturers produce supplements and vegetable juice drinks with it. Facilities for Aizome in Tokushima Prefecture Photo：Aizome Workshop There are several facilities related to Aizome in Tokushima Prefecture, so if you want to learn about the history of Aizome, we recommend checking them out. In addition to "Ai-no-Yakata" shown in this video, the following places are also worth checking out. ・AIZOMEKOUGEIKAN (藍染工芸館) ・Awa Aizome Shijira-kan (阿波の藍染しじら館) ・Furusho-zome Kojo (古庄染工場) ・Waza-no-Yakata (技の館) "AIZOMEKOUGEIKAN" (Aizome Craft Workshop) in Tokushima City (徳島市), Tokushima Prefecture in Japan's Shikoku region, is the factory exhibition hall of Takumi Kagawa, the holder of the traditional technique of Awa Ai-gata dyeing. You can experience Aizome at the factory. The factory also sells gifts, like scarves and T-shirts. Awa Aizome Shijira-kan, located in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, offers a tour of the Awa Shijira weaving factory. You can enjoy an indigo dyeing experience here too. Furusho-zome Kojo, located in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture is a factory owned by Toshiharu Furusho. You watch aizome dyeing at the factory. Waza-no-Yakata in Itano District (板野郡), Tokushima Prefecture, is a facility where you can enjoy observing the process of Aizome and the making of Awa-wasanbon sugar, as well as hands-on experiences. Items Made With Aizome Aizome products range from hand towels, yukata, purses, stoles (shawls), dresses, and masks. They are available at shops at the craft museums and online shopping sites. The Process of Aizome - Learning From the Aizome Experience Video Source :YouTube screenshot "Ai-Shiru" (indigo liquid) is used for Aizome. From 0:19 in the video, you can see how a pattern is made by rolling the cloth around the chopsticks and squeezing it with rubber. Next, the cloth is soaked in the Ai-Shiru for approximately 60 seconds. You can see this step at 1:53 in the video. The process of taking it out of the Ai-Shiru and exposing it to air for roughly 60 seconds is repeated several times. When the fabric is sufficiently dyed with the Ai-Shiru, it is rinsed and then ironed. And the handkerchief is completed! No two pieces are the same when made with Aizome. You can see the completed work at 1:44 in the video. Aizome Summary Photo： Aizome Aizome has a long history as one of Japan's traditional cultures. If you're interested in learning more about this beautiful culture, consider visiting one of the facilities listed above and trying an Aizome experience. Don't forget to check their business hours and details. For those unable to visit the facilities, be sure to watch the video to see what Aizome is all about! 【Tripadvisor】Ai-no-Yakata https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1121420-d3531647-Reviews-Ai_no_Yakata-Aizumi_cho_Itano_gun_Tokushima_Prefecture_Shikoku.html