Soranosato General Incorporated Association
Awa Odori Costumes
Awa Odori is a dance from Japan’s Tokushima Prefecture with a long tradition of 400 years. Deeply rooted in the everyday lives of people in Tokushima, it is well-known around the world as a signature art from Japan.
Awa Odori has two types of dance: Otoko-odori (men's dance) is performed wearing a happi coat or yukata (casual kimono) and a pair of tabi (Japanese-style socks); Onna-odori (women's dance) is performed wearing a lady's yukata, amigasa (a hat made of woven rush grass), and a pair of geta (Japanese-style shoes). While onna-odori dancers stand tall and elegantly when in action, otoko-odori is more wild, and dancers bend their knees and keep their bodies low as they proceed.