Kanagawa Yamato Awa Odori _____________________________________ The Kanagawa Yamato Awa Odori began as a local shopping street event and has grown into one of the three major Awa Odori festivals in the Kanto region. Alongside local troupes, many groups from across Japan take part, and dancers in vivid costumes perform passionately to the ringing of small gongs and the beat of drums. The festival offers spectacles that thrill the audience, such as the overwhelmingly powerful group dance called souodori, and the niwaka-ren where anyone can join on the spot to experience Awa Odori, making it a summer tradition in Yamato that you can enjoy both as a spectator and a participant. Location: Shopping streets around Yamato Station ________________________________________