It is said that more than 400 years ago in Shikoku, when the construction of the Tokushima castle was finished, the domain’s lord, Hachisuka Iemasa, threw a party for the townsmen, with drinks, songs and dance. The townsmen enjoyed the party so much that they repeated it the next year, and the next… and so on until today. Today, this party is worldwide known as the Awa Odori festival, Awa being an old name for Tokushima.

The tradition spread throughout the country, and 62 years ago it was brought to Tokyo by a group of people from Tokushima who established the festival in Koenji. 15 years later, another Awa Odori festival appeared in Tokyo, in Kagurazaka (in today’s photo).

Kagurazaka Awa Odori Dancers, Tokyo

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Yokohama Minato Mirai 21 aerial view