Tokushima City

The culture and performing arts of Tokushima that flourished hundreds of years ago still continues today. During this tour you will watch a performance of the annual dance festival called Awa Odori; go to a popular market that offers a wide variety of Tokushima seafood, brand-name meats, and fresh vegetables; and then see a traditional puppet theater performance called Ningyo Joruri. The main attractions are close together and can be reached by water cab.

Highlights from the Organizer

1

Awa Odori Kaikan (Awa Odori Festival Hall)

Located in the center of Tokushima City, this facility, which is marked by its unique inverted trapezoidal exterior inspired by the lanterns of the Awa Odori dance, allows visitors to enjoy demonstrations of the Awa Odori by a small group of dancers and instrument players. In the building there is also a museum where visitors can learn about the history of Awa Odori, a souvenir shop, and the cable car station to go up Mt. Bizan (elev. 290min) This is a must-visit spot for your first trip to Tokushima.
2

Tokushima Fresh Market (Tokushima Shinsen Nattoku Ichi)

In addition to fresh seafood from Tokushima, this facility offers Tokushima-raised chicken and beef. Visitors can also visit a produce market with fresh fruits and vegetables brought directly from the farmers, enjoy having a barbecue, go fishing, or experience sea kayaking.
3

Awa Jurobe Yashiki Puppet Theater

This is the site of the Edo period residence of a man called Jurobe Bando, who is the model for the play "Keisei Awa no Naruto." Every day 30-minute performances of the puppet theater (Awa Ningyo Joruri), a nationally important intangible folk cultural asset, are performed here accompanied with someone playing the shamisen and a storyteller. Although the play is in Japanese, there is a screen above the stage that shows the dialog in English. Before or after the performance, make sure to have a look at the museum here that explains the history of the puppet theater and has many historical artifacts on display.

Itinerary

Day 1

11:00

See a Traditional Dance Performance
12:30

Taste the Delicacies of Tokushima
14:00

See a Puppet Theater Performance

Course Details

Day 1 11:00

See a Traditional Dance Performance

Tokushima is well-known for its annual dance festival called Awa Odori where for four nights in August many dancing groups dance in the streets and tens of thousands of people come to watch them. However, small groups give performances all-year-round at a place called Awa Odori Kaikan, just a short walk from Tokushima bus and train station.

Day 1 12:30

Taste the Delicacies of Tokushima

At this market visitors can buy a wide variety of Tokushima seafood, brand-name meats, and fresh vegetables. If you want to try fishing, use the float to catch local sea bream, flatfish, and striped horse mackerel. There are also lobsters and big fish for sale here. The fish you catch can be enjoyed at the restaurant or barbecue. There is also a photo corner to record your catch, making it a great memory of your trip.

Day 1 14:00

See a Puppet Theater Performance

At this facility visitors can see performance of this puppet theater (Awa Ningyo Joruri) a performing art nurtured by the prosperity of the Awa indigo industry, as well as learn about the history of it. In addition to coming here, you might also be able to see a performance on a stage in a rural area around Tokushima Prefecture.

Awa Ningyo Joruri Puppet Theater Plan (Includes a Special Gift!)

This plan includes a ticket to the Awa Jurobe Yashiki Puppet Theater and an original postcard present! ◆ Enjoy Tokushima's traditional art of puppet theater (known as “Awa Ningyo Joruri” in Japanese), which was fostered by the prefecture's environment and history. ◆ After enjoying a performance, check out the Exhibition Room and even try operating a puppet. ◆ Those who purchase this plan will receive an original Awa Jurobe Yashiki Puppet Theater postcard as a present. ＜Awa Ningyo Joruri Puppet Theater – A Performing Art that Reflects the Sensibilities of the Japanese＞ The puppet play “Keisei Awa no Naruto” is a tale of family tragedy based on Jurobe Bando, a village headman who was sacrificed and killed in 1698 for a crime he didn’t commit. The Awa Jurobe Yashiki is the former residence of Jurobe Bando, and is related to the play “Keisei Awa no Naruto”. This play is performed daily at the Awa Jurobe Yashiki, and this type of puppet performance, known in Japanese as “Awa Ningyo Joruri”, is a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. A narrator known as a “tayu” recites the story, adding emotion to each part, and a gidayu shamisen (three-stringed Japanese instrument) supports the tayu with a diverse array of tones that can’t be expressed in staff notation. The puppets are each performed by three people, a true rarity in the world. The sensibility of the Japanese can be seen through these puppets and their movements. [Location] Awa Jurobe Yashiki Miyajimahonura 184, Kawauchi-cho, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture 〒771-0114

Tokushima (City Center)・Naruto

Culture

JPY 410 ~ (Incl. tax)

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