Tokushima seeks to liven up Awa Odori dance festival amid tourism boom

A city on Shikoku, one of Japan's four main islands, is working to boost its Awa Odori dance festival by tackling a shortage of accommodations amidst the rise in inbound tourism.

The summer event in Tokushima attracts over a million visitors, but its impact on the local economy has been limited due to a lack of hotels, which hampers overnight stays.

The traditional festival began on Sunday and will run through Thursday, with organizers taking precautions in light of Japan’s first-ever warning about a potential major earthquake in the Nankai Trough, which runs along the Pacific coast. They have informed the public about evacuation procedures in case of a large quake.

Last year, the festival faced controversy over premium seating. Seats priced at 200,000 yen each, aimed mainly at affluent foreign tourists, were sold but later found to breach building standards, leading to refunds.

As of August 5, Tokushima had around 4,000 hotel and inn rooms, according to the city government. Shinichiro Okamoto, president of the Grand Palace hotel, noted that most overnight guests are on business trips. Visitors to Awa Odori often stay in Takamatsu in neighboring Kagawa Prefecture, where hotel options are more plentiful.

To address the accommodation shortfall, the prefectural government has introduced a subsidy program to encourage the development of four-star hotels.

With Japan anticipating a record 35 million foreign visitors in 2024, Tokushima’s local and prefectural governments are also aiming to attract more tourists with new events. In December, Mickey Mouse and other characters from the Tokyo Disney Resort will participate in a special parade around JR Tokushima Station during an Awa Odori event organized by the prefectural government.

Government surveys reveal that Tokushima Prefecture was 46th out of Japan's 47 prefectures in terms of hotel guest rooms in fiscal 2022 and also ranked 46th in overnight stays in 2023.

A senior prefectural official stated, “Our primary goal is to showcase Tokushima’s appeal and encourage visitors to return.”