The Yamato Awa Odori dance festival in Kanagawa was held on July 25-26, 2009.

Several streets in the area were blocked off from traffic.

Awa Odori’s popularity has spread through Japan and is now a standard feature of summer festivals throughout the country.

There was also an Awa Odori parade In my previous post about the Kagurazaka Matsuri.

Approximately 4,000 people participated in this large-scale dance performance along the shopping streets near Yamato Station.

As usual in most Japanese festivals, men, women and children of all ages participated and wore colorful yukatas and happi coats.

Kagurazaka Matsuri Festival was held on July 22 to 25, 2009.  Marking its 36th year, this festival is a popular summer event in the Kagurazaka area, near Shinjuku, a known destination for strolling through preserved old back streets full of nostalgic atmosphere.

During the festival, a Chinese lantern and ground cherry pod fair (Hozuki Ichi) was held at Bishamonten Zenkokuji Temple and vicinity.

The highlight of the festival was the parade of Awa Odori, a local folk dance of Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku Island.

Groups of choreographed dancers and musicians known as ren danced through Kagurazaka Dori Street, accompanied by the shamisen lute, taiko drums, shinobue flute and the kane bell.

Performers wore traditional obon dance costumes, or summer kimono, and chant and sing as they paraded through the streets.

Men, women and children of all ages from the town enthusiastically participated, wearing colorful yukatas and happi coats.

Finally, a few videos from YouTube …

As I posted yesterday, I observed the Awa Odori (阿波踊り) dance festival in Kagurazaka (神楽坂), a quiet hillside neighborhood in Shinjuku with many old buildings and known 100 years ago as an entertainment district with geishas.

The Awa Odori is a popular mid-summer festival that began in the 16th century in Tokushima in Shikoku prefecture. Fifteen or more dance troops, including all ages and children, climb up the Kagurazaka hill on the main street to the music of shamisen lute, taiko drums, shinobue flutes, and kane bells. The dancing is broadly comedic, with exaggerated swagger suggesting drunken freedom. Lanterns line the road, and are carried by dancers.

Troops are formed by government pension workers, the local post office, neighborhood associations, schools and businesses. Despite rainfall, the dancers and large crowds of onlookers were enthusiastic. The lyrics according to Wikipedia are:

踊る阿呆に (Odoru ahou ni) The dancers are fools
見る阿呆 (Miru ahou) The watchers are fools
同じ阿呆なら (Onaji ahou nara) Both are fools alike so
踊らな損、損 (Odorana son, son) Why not dance?

There is also a call and response that reminded me of other street festivals, particularly the omatsuri (お祭) when portable shrines (omikoshi, お神輿) are carried through the streets. The words are without meaning but coordinate the movement: “Yattosa, yattosa”, “Hayaccha yaccha” and “Erai yaccha, erai yaccha”, “Yoi, yoi, yoi, yoi”.

Street festivals, by occupying public streets and bringing the community together to celebrate, seem a central part of Tokyo Green Space. By bringing together workers, students, kids, elderly, business owners, neighbors and tourists, street festivals connect people to history and each other.

I was reminded of a similar mix of public celebration and history the following night when I attended the Sumida River fireworks (hanabi, or はなび). It was startling how many young people wore traditional yukata and geta (well, some of them accessorized the old with flip flops or high heels).

The last weekend of August, there is an even bigger Awa Odori in Koenji. Please click the link below to see more videos and still photos of the Kagurazaka event.

And somehow I found it funny that during the public dance festival, two young guys were busy competing on a taiko video game in an arcade.

These Chinese lantern flowers were hanging in baskets with ornaments outside a restaurant in Kagurazaka (神楽坂) during the summer Awa Odori (阿波踊り) dance festival. It’s great to see living plants celebrating a street party full of music, dancers of all ages, comedy and many observers. I’ll post more about the Awa Odori soon.

Senbatsu Awa Odori Taikai
Professional dancing troupes present highly refined dancing performances on stage. A total of three different troupes will be dancing each day of the event.

When
Wednesday, August 12 to Saturday, August 15

Tokushima-shi Bunka Center
11:30 – (August 12 and 15 only), 13:30 -, 16:00 -

Awagin Hall
13:30 -, 16:00 -

Cost
Tickets are 1,800 yen for reserved seats (指定席 – shitei-seki) and 1,200 yen for free seating areas (自由席 - jiyuu-seki). All tickets cost an additional 200 yen if bought on the day.

Senbatsu Awa Odori Taikai – Zenyasai
A stunning combined performance by all awa dance troupes belonging to the Awa Odori Promotions Association and Tokushima Prefectural Awa Odori Association. Hundreds of dancers come together for this once in a year event to mark the opening of the festival.

When
Monday, August 11
13:00 -, 16:00 -, 19:00 -

Where
Asty Tokushima

Cost
2,000 yen for reserved seats and 1,500 yen for free seating areas.

Awa Odori at Tokushima Airport
Performances of Awa Odori will be held in front of the arrivals lobby at Tokushima Aiport to welcome visitors to the prefecture.

When
Wednesday, August 12
10:15 -, 11:45 -

Where
The area in front of the arrivals lobby at Tokushima Airport, in Matsushige-cho.

Cost
Free!

Naruto Awa Odori
The displays of Awa Odori in Naruto are the earliest in the prefecture, held over three days prior to August 12. Over thirty dance troupes perform each day of the event!

When
Sunday, August 9 to Tuesday, August 11
19:00 – 22:00

Where
The stage areas and shopping mall on the west side of the JR Naruto Station in Naruto City.

Cost
Tickets for stage seating costs 600 yen, or 800 yen if bought on the day.

Yoshinogawa Awa Odori
A selection of well known dancing troupes from the area will come to perform on the streets of Kamojima. Seating is free!

When
Friday, August 14 to Sunday, August 16
19:00 – 22:00

Where
The streets in front of JR Kamojima Station on the JR Awa Ikeda Line.

Ikeda Awa Odori
Over thirty dancing troupes from in and outside the town of Ikeda will come to perform during the event, and a paid seating area with over 800 seat is available for visitors.

When
Thursday, August 13 to Sunday, August 16
August 13: 19:00 -
August 14 – 16:  19:00 – 22:30

Where
August 13: The Ikeda Sogo Taiiku-kan
August 14- 16: The area in front of Awa Ikeda Station and surrounds.

]]> http://drutang.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/tokushima/ Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:01:15 +0000 drutang http://drutang.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/tokushima/

Tokushima is situated in the north-eastern region of Shikoku.  It is the major gateway to the island from Kansai.  It is connected via Awaji Island to Kobe.   Unfortunately, this city is very small and easily visited within a day or two.  You can easily get out of Tokushima city and head to Naruto in the north; Iya Valley in the west; and towards Muroto in the south. 

Sudachi-kun. An unknown character found at the foot of Mt. Bizan.

Tokushima is primarily known for one thing, and only one thing, the Awa Odori.  It is a summer festival held in August.  It is one of the most distinct and unique festivals in Japan.  The Awa Odori is literally a traditional dance of the region.  People dress up in the regions unique festival clothing and the dance can be heard for blocks.  It is very difficult to describe the dance and it is something that must be seen in video to truly understand how complex, active, and interesting it really is.  All over Tokushima city, you’ll be able to see statues, banners, art, and videos of the Awa Odori.  You can even take a dance class at the base of Mt. Bizan.  While the Awa Odori is the most famous thing about Tokushima, sudachi is the most famous gift from Tokushima.  It is a small green citrus fruit that is similar to limes and lemons.  It has a slightly stronger taste, but very refreshing.  Beware that buying any sudachi sweets can be dangerous.  They last a long time, but once opened, they “could” expire within a day or two.  I would recommend buying sudachi alcohol and drinks, which are very popular. 

Mt. Bizan

There are only a few things to do in Tokushima itself.  The most famous thing to do is to head up Mt. Bizan.  There is a gondola that will take you from the base to the peak, but it runs every 15 minutes.  You can also get a discount if you go in the evening.  The top of the mountain is very beautiful and gives you a great view of the city.  Heading up in the evening is worth the price, however heading up at full price may not be worth it for those on a budget.  You can also hike up the mountain, and the peak offers various hiking paths.  If you are an avid hiker, this is a great place to get started for a short day hike.  Routes tend to be well marked and wind their way around the mountain.  In May, you will also be greeted with beautiful flowers blooming around the peak station.  If you are lucky, Mt. Bizan has over 1000 cherry trees, so the cherry blossom season is supposed to be extremely beautiful.  

Cascading Flowers in Mt. Bizan Park

After Mt. Bizan, Tokushima Central Park is the next best place to visit.  It is located on a hill behind the station.  It can be a little difficult to reach as the station has only one entrance, to the south.  The park is located north of the station.  Once you find the park, it is a very nice place to visit.  The entire park is the site of the ruins of Tokushima Castle.  There are two routes to the top of the hill.  While both routes are equally difficult, be aware that the main route may have some school kids running up as part of their training exercises.  In all honesty, this park is better served to the locals.  There isn’t too much to see.  The view from the top of the hill, while nice, isn’t that great.  It’s difficult to see much of the city as there are large trees surrounding the old courtyard.  However, it is a good way to enjoy an afternoon in Tokushima. 

Shinmachi River

Finally, walking along the Shinmachi River, south of the station, is a lot of fun.  The parks along the river are very beautiful, and there is a lot of outdoor art to enjoy.  You can even take a boat cruise around the city for only 100 yen.  It takes about one hour to go around the city.  You can also take a 4 hour cruise up to Naruto.  The river is also conveniently located near the main shopping area.  Shopping in Tokushima is sparse, to say the least.  It is probably the smallest major city in Shikoku, so finding any major name brands would be very difficult.  If you are looking for something to eat, I would recommend ramen.  It is a local specialty and the local food maps, available in most hotels, show the locations of famous ramen shops.  While it isn’t very different from other ramen shops in Japan, they tend to add slices of meat, and the soup base tends to be a little thinner and saltier, in my opinion.

Overall, I couldn’t say there is a lot to do in Tokushima city itself.  However, there is enough to make it a good weekend trip.  If you are just backpacking around Japan, timing a visit to coincide with the Awa Odori is the best way to go; otherwise it’s best to skip this city.  I would definitely like to return someday.

このblogは英語のblog。もし私の英語は難しい、日本語のquestionは大丈夫。

Awa Odori  ©ajpscs

Awa Odori, ou A Dança dos Tolos, é um ritual de mais de 400 anos, originado nos tempos do Japão feudal, por volta de 1587, quando um senhor de muitas terras, resolveu dar uma festa para celebrar o final da construção de seu novo castelo. Os convidados bebados começaram a dançar e no dia seguinte, saindo de uma brutal ressaca, decidiram repetir a festa todos os anos. No entanto, há quem diga que Awa Odori significa o conjunto de danças elegantes realizadas pelas Gaisha de Kyoto para distrair os samurais. Não importa; qualquer que seja a versão verdadeira, o espetáculo segue encantando com beleza e refinamento no meio da rua.

Clique na legenda da imagem para ampliar

Dancers perform an older, more traditional form of the dance at the main stage of the Hana Haru Festa in Tokushima City.

While thoughts of Awa Odori most commonly conjure up images of those four hot and sweaty nights in the streets of Tokushima each year in August, there is another option available – the Hana Haru Festa.

Flowers and Awa Odori
In 2009 the Hana Haru Festa sees its 12th year running as one of the larger festivals held in Tokushima City throughout the year. Combining the usual festival fare of markets and local produce, the main defining feature of the Hana Haru Festa is that it provides the chance to see Awa Odori during the daytime, the only time in the year when this is possible!

However it is not all just about Awa Odori. The Hana Haru Festa is also home to a large stage area hosting local music and modern dance performances, live radio broadcasts, fashion shows and various other cultural displays run across the three days of the event.

The Shinmachi Bridge
The Shinmachi Bridge and Aibahama Park where the festival is located are places of some historical note for Awa Odori. In olden times, it was forbidden for people to dance outside of the district in town in which they lived. But people being people, ways around this ruling were found, and the Shinmachi Bridge was one of those. Back then, the bridge lay at the edge of two districts, and people from either area would come together to dance there and enjoy the festival together. Even now the Shinmachi Bridge is a major site for the dance as one of the main dancing stages.

All Year Long
Don’t forget, you can see Awa Odori all year long at the Awa Odori Kaikan found in Tokushima City. Not only can you see displays of the dance, but there is also a museum on the 3F (adults 300 yen, junior high school students and below 150 yen) and a library on the 2F (free).

STAFF DIARY 2008-08-23 09:25

おめでとうございました！

いしわたり淳治さんのお誕生会をしました！
大人が集まって、はじめは厳かに、最後はプレゼントに大盛り上がりの楽しいパーティーでした。

メンバーの選んだプレゼントは三者三様で、ここにも個性がでていました。

パーティーの途中で、テーブルに置いてあった花をグラスに挿しはじめるくみこん。

その後ろに潜む、いしわたりさんとえっちゃん。

ほくそ笑んでおります。
2008-08-23 09:25

Congratulations

We celebrated Ishiwatari Junji`s birthday !
Adults gathered while at first dignified, climaxing with presents, it was very enjoyable party.

The presents the members selected were each unique so even here, their indivuality was shown in them.
In the middle of the party Kumikon got some flowers that were placed on the table and began to place them in her glass.
Lurking in the back are Ishiwatari-san and Ecchan.
They`re smirking.

2008-08-23 09:25

Source: Ishiwatari Junji blog http://kihon.eplus2.jp/

http://playlog.jp/chatmonchystaff/blog

http://www.lastfm.jp/group/Supercar

STAFF DIARY 2008-08-23 23:26

香川入り！

うどんを食べてエネルギー補給！
久しぶりの四国でのライブ楽しみです！
2008-08-23 23:26

Kagawa included !

Eating udon and replenishing energy !
Looking forward to the first Shikoku live in a long time !

2008-08-23 23:26

http://playlog.jp/chatmonchystaff/blog

http://www.monsterbash.jp/

P.S.

Koenji Awa Odori is also tonight in Tokyo !
The three will be very busy
Best of luck to them !

がんばれ、　かもし連　！！

http://www.koenji-awaodori.com/indexEn.html