Awa Odori

In the middle of August, Tokushima, a city on the island of Shikoku, gives its streets to dancers. Awa Odori is held on the same five days every year, 11 to 15 August, and the organisers say more than a million visitors come to the city for it. The dancing itself is concentrated on the evenings of 12 to 15 August, usually from around 18:00 to about 22:00, across the whole city, in paid seating areas and along streets where you can stand and watch for free.

The festival is more than 400 years old, and nobody agrees on exactly how it began. One account ties it to the celebration of Tokushima Castle's construction in 1586. Another traces it to local Bon dances for the dead, and a third to a lively medieval dance style from the Muromachi period. What is clear is that it grew with the wealth of the indigo and salt trade, and became a popular folk entertainment after the Second World War.

The dancing is done by teams called ren, who move down the street in groups.

How to go. Hotels in Tokushima fill early and the festival falls in the middle of Japan's summer holidays, so book as soon as you know the dates. Paid seats in the premium viewing areas are sold in advance, and sell out. Tickets are also sold at the information centre in front of Tokushima Station and at convenience stores. A cheaper way in is the street: stand along a free route and arrive early to get a front spot. The nearby town of Naruto holds a smaller Awa Odori of its own on different dates. In August expect heat and humidity, so carry water.