It is an amazing experience for locals and tourists alike to get a taste of the energetic festival atmosphere. The area of Koenji, located along the Chuo Line, is largely known for this major summer event taking place on the last weekend of August. ▶ Book Koenji Awa Odori Half Day Experience Tour Koenji Awa Odori Tour allows you to learn more of the Koenji’s local history by walking around the town with a local guide, watching the Awa Odori performance and also you can learn the Awa Odori itself trying your own hand at playing instruments and dancing too! Throughout the year, workshops and other events are organized with live performances of the different ren. When you are visiting Tokyo, but you cannot make it to the Awa Odori Festival, it is still possible to take a deep dive into the world of Tokyo Koenji Awaodori. Moved by the roar of the passionate crowds, the Awa Odori dancers will flow through the town of Koenji across the 8 stages where its route forms the shape of a giant 8. The bells sound of the kane, Japanese gong will indicate the pace. The main instrument is the fue, a flute that is in charge of the main melody. Both evenings between 5pm and 8pm, the streets of Koenji are awakened to the sound of drums of the shime daiko, odaiko and okawa, mixed with the small sounds of the shamisen, a guitar-like instrument with three strings. About 10,000 dancers attend the festival’s procession and over 1,000,000 spectators visit the two-day festival that now takes place throughout the whole Koenji area. Initially it only took place in the local shotengai, but over time it has grown into one of Tokyo’s major summer events organised each year in the last weekend of August. Tokyo’s Koenji Awa Odori started off as a festival to revitalize the small shopping streets throughout Koenji in 1957. One performance typically lasts between 10 and 20 minutes, which might sound short but try 10 minutes of walking in a squad-like position and you’ll know it is in fact quite hard. One aspect of Awa Odori its’ magic charm is the rich variety and dazzling dance performances that have grown from this simple dance. The women’s dance requires some practice and good balancing skills they have to lean forwards and put their weight onto their toes while wearing raised geta sandals. In addition, each dance team, known as ren, creates their own unique performances. But as is often the case, it is much harder than it looks especially when the pace is picking up. The dance itself might look easy at first, you only need to raise your hands and lead with the same hand and foot as you move forward. ![]() You can recognize the different ren’s by the colors and patterns of their clothing. All participants are wearing traditional Japanese clothing and accessories, women wear a yukata and men are wearing a yukata or happi, both are wearing traditional socks. Lastly, there are the women performing the men’s dance. ![]() Secondly, the women’s dance performed by women who dance on the traditional raised geta sandals wearing the iconic braided hats, while dancing they will chant continuously “ yatto sa yatto yatto” which translates to “How are you? I am fine”. ![]() There are three different types of dancing: firstly, the men’s dance where men dance low to the ground, leaning forwards. Some of the ren’s have been practicing the whole year whereas others gather days before the event. Groups of dancers called ‘ren’ come from all over the country, and even from abroad, to Tokushima to participate. Tokushima Awa Odori (阿波おどり) is still the biggest of all and is held each year between August 12 and 15 with ten thousands of participants that attract millions of visitors with their dance processions. The lively dance festival originated in Tokushima but is organized throughout Japan today. Awa Odori is a traditional Japanese dance festival organised in summer.
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