HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > How to Experience Tokushima City in a Day
Follow this recommended itinerary for the best way to spend an enjoyable morning or day in Tokushima City
East Tokushima Tourism Authority
Whether you’re just arriving in eastern Tokushima on the island of Shikoku or you’ve reached the last day of your vacation and have a bit of time to kill before hopping on a train or plane to your next destination, it’s handy to know what to see and do in Tokushima Prefecture’s capital city—without needing a car to get around.
The Awa Odori Kaikan is dedicated to Tokushima’s most famous festival, Awa Odori. This facility is particularly fascinating for visitors who have never experienced a typical Japanese summer matsuri, or festival, and who might not be able to visit during August when Awa Odori festivals are held. Aside from the museum, which shows off plenty of costumes and artifacts, the Awa Odori Hall dance group holds four performances daily, giving you a brief history of the Awa Odori dance before demonstrating different styles and even leading you to try out a few moves yourself.
Accessed via the fifth floor of the Awa Odori Kaikan, the Bizan Ropeway takes you up to the top of Mt. Bizan, a small mountain which is considered the symbol of Tokushima and offers expansive views of the area on clear days.
From the Awa Odori Kaikan, take a 10-minute walk towards Ryogoku Bridge at Shinmachi Riverside Park. From here, hop on board the Hyotanjima Tour Boat, a comfortable watercraft which will whisk you around the waterways that surround the city’s inner island. Be sure to duck as you pass under some very low bridges.
When it’s time for lunch, you’ll find the family-run okonomiyaki restaurant Hayashi no Okonomiyaki just a short walk from Ryogoku Bridge. Watch mom and son as they efficiently take orders and cook up endless rounds of this popular Japanese comfort food, which is a savory cabbage-based “pancake” that can be adjusted to include a variety of ingredients and toppings.
Then walk off that filling lunch with a stroll around nearby Tokushima Central Park. Impossible to miss thanks to the still-existing huge stone castle walls, this park sits on the site where Tokushima Castle once stood.
How to get there
From Haneda Airport, take a flight to Tokushima Awaodori Airport (about 1 hour and 20 minutes), then transfer to a bus and ride for about 30 minutes to Tokushima Station.
From Shin-Osaka station, take the subway (about 10 minutes) to Umeda Station, then transfer to the highway bus and ride to Tokushima Station (about 2 hours and 40 minutes).
Awa Odori Kaikan & Bizan Ropeway
2-20 Shinmachibashi, Tokushima-shi, Tokushima-ken
Hyotanjima Tour Boat
2 Minamiuchi-machi, Tokushima-shi, Tokushima-ken (Shinmachi River Waterfront Park Boat House)
Okonomiyaki for Lunch
1-30-1 Minamiuchimachi, Tokushima-shi, Tokushima-ken
Tokushima Central Park
1-8 Jonai, Tokushima-cho, Tokushima-shi, Tokushima-ken
