Shikoku’s Rival Dance Festivals: Which is for You?

I’m writing this on a rainy day in June, but my thoughts are already of sunnier days in August. Many things come to mind, like fireworks and beaches, but today I’ll write about dancing!

Carnival, in Brazil, is the world’s largest dance festival, but did you know that the Awaodori, right here in Japan, is the second largest in the world? A few summers ago I traveled to join that festival in Tokushima. But the Awaodori is not the only dance festival on Shikoku in August! I also went to the Yosakoi festival a few hours farther south in Kochi city!

So, which would I recommend? Well, it depends on what you like…

The Awaodori is more traditional, so if you want to enjoy music, dance and costumes that have come to us from ancient times, then go to Tokushima. The Yosakoi is a modern version of the Awaodori that began around the 1950’s. The music is louder and mixes in elements of rock. The dances are faster and crazier, and the costumes are wilder and more colorful. So, if you like the excitement and originality of this newer style, go to Kouchi!

Ah, but do you want to dance, or just watch? I think that the Yosakoi is more about watching; you can stand in one place while the dance groups move past you down the street in a parade with trucks that carry their giant speakers. Not so many of the people watching were dancing. On the other hand, at the Awaodori, the people watching often join with the dancers. It’s easy to copy the slower Awaodori dancers, and as the night gets later and you have more drinks, it begins to feel like one huge and welcoming party.

As for me? I preferred the Yosakoi. The main reason is that the Awaodori was simply too crowded. Unlike the Yosakoi, the Awaodori dances happen in many parts of the city, and moving to them is difficult with so many people. It was easier for me to just relax at the Yosakoi. And although Kochi is farther than Tokushima, I thought it was more convenient. If you don’t book a hotel months in advance, then you will have no place to sleep after the Awaodori. However, I was able to reserve a hotel room in Kochi when I arrived there at 6pm!

Of course, if you can go to both, then do so! But if you can choose only one, then I hope this review will help you decide! And whatever you do, have a happy summer!