Tokushima Prefecture occupies the northeastern corner of Shikoku island, facing Osaka Bay and the Kii Channel across the Naruto Strait. It is best known for two very different natural spectacles: the Naruto whirlpools, where powerful tidal currents collide to form swirling vortices up to 20 meters across, and the remote Iya Valley, a steep, cedar-forested gorge in the prefecture's mountainous interior where vine suspension bridges have carried travelers across the Iya River for centuries. Tokushima City, the capital, is famous nationwide for the Awa Odori, Japan's largest traditional dance festival, held every August since the Edo period and drawing over a million spectators. The prefecture was historically Awa Province, ruled for nearly 300 years by the Hachisuka clan from Tokushima Castle, and its Edo-period wealth was built on the cultivation and trade of Awa-ai indigo dye, a craft still practiced today.
Cultural orientation
Essential context for travellers.
Bow when greeting — a slight forward nod (15°) suffices for casual interactions; deeper bows show more respect to elders and shrine or temple staff
Remove shoes before entering homes, ryokan rooms, temple main halls, and any room with tatami flooring — look for a raised step (genkan) marking the boundary
Carry cash — many rural Iya Valley guesthouses, small udon and ramen shops, and vine bridge ticket booths accept cash only
At Shinto shrines such as those along the pilgrimage route, toss a coin into the offertory box, bow twice, clap twice, then bow once more
During Awa Odori (mid-August), spectators are invited to join the dancing 'ren' troupes — following the lead dancer's steps is welcomed, not intrusive
Tattoos are commonly prohibited at onsen and public baths, including hot spring facilities near Mount Tsurugi and in the Iya Valley; check policy before paying admission
Do's and don'ts
Quick guide to local norms.
Do
- Do use both hands when receiving a business card, gift, or change at a shop counter — a one-handed receipt can read as dismissive
- Do say 'itadakimasu' before eating and 'gochisousama deshita' after finishing a meal — this small courtesy is well received in family-run udon and ramen shops
- Do check tide tables before a Naruto whirlpool boat tour, since etiquette on the small tour boats includes staying seated and following crew instructions closely during the strongest currents
- Do offer a small coin or snack (osettai) to a Shikoku pilgrim who stops at a rest point — this centuries-old custom of hospitality toward henro walkers is still widely practiced in Tokushima
- Do stand on the left side of escalators, leaving the right side clear for walkers, in keeping with Tokushima's Kansai-adjacent but generally Tokyo-style convention
Don't
- Do not eat or drink on local JR trains or town buses; save snacks for stations or rest stops
- Do not photograph pilgrims, shrine worshippers, or Awa Odori dancers up close without asking first
- Do not step into a temple's main hall or a ryokan's tatami room in outdoor shoes
- Do not touch the vine bridges' support structures beyond the handrail, and do not lean out over the railing for photos — the bridges are rebuilt from natural vines every few years and are more fragile than they look
- Do not make loud phone calls on trains or buses; switch to silent mode and speak quietly if necessary
Etiquette by setting
How to navigate everyday situations.
Useful phrases
A few words go a long way.
こんにちは (Konnichiwa)
Hello / Good afternoon
ありがとうございます (Arigatou gozaimasu)
Thank you (formal)
うずしおを見に来ました (Uzushio wo mi ni kimashita)
I came to see the whirlpools
英語を話せますか？ (Eigo wo hanasemasu ka?)
Do you speak English?
かずら橋はどこですか？ (Kazurabashi wa doko desu ka?)
Where is the vine bridge?
いくらですか？ (Ikura desu ka?)
How much is it?
カード払いできますか？ (Kaado barai dekimasu ka?)
Can I pay by card?
お会計をください (Okaikei wo kudasai)
Check / bill, please
すみません (Sumimasen)
Excuse me / Sorry
助けてください (Tasukete kudasai)
Please help me
Religion & spirituality
Understanding faith in Tokushima.
Items:
- Faith
- Shingon Buddhism
- Presence
- Tokushima hosts several temples of the 88-temple Shikoku Pilgrimage founded in tradition by the monk Kobo Daishi (Kukai), including Temple 1 (Ryozenji) in Naruto, the traditional starting point for pilgrims beginning the 1,200-km circuit.
- Faith
- Shinto
- Presence
- Small neighborhood shrines are found throughout Tokushima City and rural hamlets; shrine festivals often coincide with harvest and New Year observances in mountain villages of the Iya Valley.
- Faith
- Syncretism
- Presence
- As throughout Japan, many residents move fluidly between Shinto and Buddhist practice — visiting shrines for New Year prayers and births, and temples for funerals and ancestor memorials.