Tokushima: Awa Odori, Bizan, and a River Cruise

Explore Tokushima through a range of experiences: Awa Odori takes place on set dates in August, Bizan combines hiking trails with views from the summit, and there is also a historic garden and a cruise on the city’s rivers. You can tailor your stay around a cultural event, scenery, garden culture, or a route by water.

Awa Odori and Garden Culture

Awa Odori takes place every year in Tokushima from August 11 to 15. If this event is the reason for your trip, these five days set the timeframe. When choosing a holiday rental, it therefore makes sense to first consider whether you want to plan your stay around these dates or let other experiences guide your decision. The festival is a clearly defined cultural event in the annual calendar; the other sights can be considered as separate highlights.

The garden of Old Tokushima Castle Omote Goten was created for the living quarters and reception room of the former lord of Tokushima. On December 13, 1941, it was designated a nationally significant scenic site. Its classification as a Momoyama-style garden is reflected in the combination of a dry garden and a pond garden. These two distinct garden styles give your visit a specific focus: you can appreciate the grounds not only as a historic green space, but also in terms of their traditional design.

Indigo-Dyeing Experiences in Tokushima

The City of Tokushima lists several places offering indigo-dyeing experiences: Furushō Dye Works at 9-12 Sako 7-ban-chō, the Indigo Dye Works in Ōjin-chō Higashisadamichi, Nagao Orifu at 189-2 Kokufu-chō Wada, Aifuyaya at 161 Kokufu-chō Wada aza Iuchi, and Ruafu at 6-42 Yoshinohon-chō. This gives you several different locations to choose from for this cultural experience. Confirm the availability of each experience before your trip.

Bizan: Hiking Trails and Summit Views

Bizan has been a symbol of Tokushima City from the time of the Man'yōshū to the present day. Several trails on Bizan are used for hiking. At the summit, an observation deck offers views of the Yoshino River and the cityscape of Tokushima. For planning your day, this gives you two different aspects of the same place: the hiking trails and the specific views from the summit.

The Bizan Ropeway reaches the summit from the Awa Odori Kaikan in about six minutes. This approximate journey time gives you a guide when planning a visit to the summit during your stay. Together with the observation point, Bizan makes a fitting highlight if you want to experience Tokushima from above; the trails also offer a way to explore Bizan on foot.

A Cruise on the City’s Rivers

The Hyōtan-jima Cruise is a free sightseeing boat trip. It departs from the north end of Ryōgoku Bridge and travels along the Shinmachi and Suketō rivers, which surround Tokushima City. Unlike the summit views from Bizan, the journey through both rivers is what shapes this experience. When planning your stay, you can therefore choose between a focus on scenery and hiking trails or a cruise on the water.

Choose a Holiday Rental to Match Your Plans

When searching for a holiday rental in Tokushima, it helps to first decide on your main reason for visiting: the August dates of Awa Odori, Bizan and its hiking trails and summit views, the historic garden, an indigo-dyeing experience, or the river cruise. If you are travelling as a family, you can also consider whether a set cultural event or a mix of these experiences will shape your plans.

Discover more destinations: Kaiyo, Miyoshi, Anan, Naka, Obatake, Naruto, Mima, Matsushige

For the broader travel overview: Tokushima Prefecture.