Name: Awa Odori（阿波おどり）
Start: 2027-08-11
End: 2027-08-15
Location: Tokushima, Tokushima Prefecture

Awa Odori（阿波おどり） — Tokushima, Tokushima PrefectureNext edition — Aug 11–15, 2027 (CONFIRMED)Crowd size — Approximately 1,110,000 · 2025Awa Odori turns Tokushima's streets into a summer dance festival, with established troupes and open niwaka-ren participation for visitors. The 2026 example below separates ticketed indoor shows from street dancing and lists free lessons. Next-edition session times and ticket rules are not yet published. Choose your lodging and a confirmed return before planning a late evening.How the date is set — An annual mid-August festival. In the 2026 reference programme, the indoor opening was on 11 August and street dancing ran 12-15 August. Check the new edition's programme for venues and sessions.Getting a roomGoes first — Choose nights of street dancing that fit your trip. Allow for Obon holiday travel when arranging your room and return.A sold-out listing may reopen after a cancellation or an additional room release. 空きウォッチ Aki checks Rakuten Travel for new openings, so you can act when one appears.Watch the rooms — free, no accountWhat happens, and when

2026 Aug 11 (reference) 12:00 / 15:30 / 19:00 — Suguribi at Asty Tokushima: ticketed indoor performances of about 80 minutes, separate from the street dancing.

2026 Aug 12-15 (reference) 11:00 / 13:30 / 16:00 — Matsuribi at Awagin Hall: ticketed indoor daytime performances of about 70 minutes.

2026 Aug 12-15 (reference) 18:00-19:40, then 20:20-22:00 — Aibahama, Minamiuchimachi and Konya-machi had separate paid sessions with a 40-minute changeover. Konya-machi's 13 August second session was an all-unreserved circle-dance session at ¥2,000.

2026 Aug 12-15 (reference) 18:10-22:00 (and 18:00-22:00) — Ryogokuhonmachi and Shinmachibashi were free venues from 18:10; the Odori Hiroba squares opened at 18:00, without the paid grounds' session changeover.

2026 Aug 12-15 (reference) 18:30-19:30 — Niwaka-ren session 1: lessons by an established troupe at Shinmachibashi-higashi dance ground, free and without reservations.

2026 Aug 12-15 (reference) 19:30-20:30 — Niwaka-ren session 2: a second lesson session.

2026 Aug 12-15 (reference) ~21:30 — Canva-ren odorikomi: participants danced into the ground behind a guest troupe. Check the new edition's session notice before planning around this time.

How to see it2026 reference: the niwaka-ren welcomed visitors in ordinary clothes at Shinmachibashi-higashi dance ground from 12 to 15 August, free and without reservations.Lessons ran at 18:30-19:30 and 19:30-20:30. Around 21:30, participants danced into the ground behind a guest troupe in the Canva-ren odorikomi.Check the current official notice for the meeting point and sessions before arranging your trip. In 2026, the 11 August Suguribi indoor show was separate from this street participation. Next-edition participation details are not yet published.Awa Odori Executive Committee — “2026 niwaka-ren participation notice” — https://www.awaodorimirai.com/_files/ugd/827d27_3ccff9c8a664491291c32b4343c62ee1.pdf (read 2026-10-10)Watching for free — Free street venues and paid dance grounds are separate options. Use the current venue guide to see which areas you can visit without a ticket.Tickets

Paid dance-ground seating (2026 reference, 12-15 August) — Price: 2026 basic prices: Minamiuchimachi special viewing ¥15,000 · SS ¥6,000 · S ¥3,000 · A ¥2,500 · B ¥2,000 · C (unreserved) ¥1,000. Basic prices applied 1-7 July; from 8 July most prices varied daily. Minamiuchimachi special viewing and Konya-machi's 13 August second-session circle dance were exceptions; that Konya session was all-unreserved at ¥2,000. The flyer also lists a ¥500 same-day surcharge. — On sale: 2026 reference: official web advance sale opened 13 June at 12:00; general sale opened 1 July at 10:00. Next-edition sales are not yet announced. — In English: Check the organiser's next-edition ticket channel for overseas eligibility, payment and collection terms. Those terms are not yet announced.

Suguribi indoor show (2026 reference, 11 August) — Price: 2026 basic prices: special reserved ¥5,000 · S ¥3,800. Most prices varied daily from 8 July; the Suguribi U25 ticket was excluded from variable pricing. The flyer lists a ¥500 same-day surcharge. — On sale: 2026 reference: the same advance and general-sale openings as the paid dance grounds. Next-edition sales are not yet announced. — In English: The 2026 Suguribi show was a separate indoor programme; the niwaka-ren street participation did not run that evening. Check the new edition's programme before booking.

Where to stayHow hard it actually is — Start with Tokushima if you want to remain for a late programme. Naruto or Takamatsu can widen the accommodation search, but confirm the service for your chosen date and the transfer to your hotel. A daytime arrival does not establish a late return; leave earlier if the published services require it.Know before you go

The festival overlaps Obon holiday travel. Check accommodation and transport availability when arranging the trip. Bad fit for: Travellers on a fixed budget, or anyone hoping to move around Japan quickly that week.

August street viewing can be hot and humid, with long periods of standing in a crowd. Bad fit for: Small children and visitors sensitive to heat or prolonged standing.

What regulars do

If you want to dance, look for the current niwaka-ren participation notice before buying a viewing seat. Confirm its venue and sessions, then choose a return that fits your visit. (How we know: The 2026 niwaka-ren poster offered free participation without a reservation and beginner lessons.)

Choose between indoor stage performances and street dancing before reserving your visit. Check the current programme rather than assuming the opening evening has every activity. (How we know: In 2026, Suguribi was on 11 August; street dance grounds ran 12-15 August.)

Compare each venue's session and seating rules before buying. The 2026 paid grounds used separate sessions, while free street venues followed their own hours. Konya-machi's 13 August second session was a circle dance with unreserved seating. (How we know: The 2026 venue programme lists separate paid sessions, free-venue hours and the Konya-machi exception.)

Use indoor shows for a seated daytime performance, and plan street viewing separately. Check the new edition's programme for its venues, duration and hours. (How we know: The 2026 programme lists Matsuribi at Awagin Hall and Suguribi at Asty Tokushima as ticketed indoor shows.)

If staying in Naruto or Takamatsu, confirm the actual return service and the onward hotel transfer before choosing a late session. Leave earlier when the published itinerary requires it. (How we know: The return must match the date, destination and hotel transfer; a daytime arrival alone does not establish it.)

Find the current official niwaka-ren poster and check its meeting point before setting off. (How we know: The 2026 poster names Shinmachibashi-higashi dance ground for the lessons and group entry.)

Similar events

Morioka Sansa Odori — Morioka, Iwate. Aug 1–4, 2027

Aomori Nebuta Matsuri — Aomori, Aomori Prefecture. Aug 2–7, 2027

Akita Kanto Festival — Akita, Akita. Aug 3–6, 2027

Goshogawara Tachineputa — Goshogawara, Aomori. Aug 4–8, 2027

Sources

2026 niwaka-ren participation notice — Awa Odori Executive Committee (read 2026-10-10)

2025 festival attendance — Awa Odori Executive Committee (read 2026-10-10)

FY2023 public health administration report, table 8: licensed accommodation — Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (read 2026-10-10)

2026 Awa Odori ticket sales and variable pricing — Tokushima City (read 2026-10-10)

2026 ticket flyer: basic prices and conditions — Awa Odori Executive Committee (read 2026-10-10)

2026 venue programme (historical edition) — Awa Odori Executive Committee (read 2026-10-10)

All Japan event guides