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JAPAN

Tokushima

Whirlpools, valleys and dancing.

Popular keywords#Local sightseeing & town walks#Architecture#Food, markets & local products#Outdoor & land art#Nature & scenic views#Protection from misfortune#Workshops & kilns#Dyeing & weaving#Art spot
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Naruto

Oasahiko Jinja

It enshrines the deity of hemp and grain, and a great vermilion torii stands in its grounds. Hemp growing and the rise of indigo overlap with this shrine's sphere of faith.

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Saigen Jiro · CC0

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TokushimaArt & Crafts, Shrines & Temples · 31 entriesMiyoshiShrines & Temples, Architecture · 12 entriesNarutoShrines & Temples, Art & Crafts · 10 entriesAnanShrines & Temples, Nature & Scenery · 5 entriesKamiyamaShrines & Temples, Architecture · 4 entriesMinamiShrines & Temples, Nature & Scenery · 3 entries
FEATURETokushima now (autumn)The Iya Valley and Mt. Tsurugi blaze with autumn color.See the feature AreaPhoto · CC BY-SA 4.0
Explore Iya ValleyJourney through one of Japan's most secluded valleys and mountainside hamlets.Dance Awa OdoriJoin Tokushima's famous dance to the lively sound of traditional instruments.Try Indigo DyeingUse traditional Awa indigo to create a uniquely patterned textile.

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JAPAN GUIDE

Things worth knowing about Japan

No worries even on a first trip to Japan. Useful things to know, explained clearly.

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Q. What do people get wrong about IC cards (Suica, PASMO) in Japan?

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Q. What do people get wrong about coin lockers and luggage forwarding in Japan?

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Q. What do people get wrong about Golden Week, Obon and New Year travel?

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REGIONAL SPECIALTIES

Meet the Japan you don't know yet.

It is not only the big cities. The regions are full of charm, and special experiences you can only have in each place are waiting.

Miyoshikiku Sake BreweryWaza no YakataMatsugaiso

Value Village

Japan's value, to the world.

Regional culture, tradition, food, sightseeing, nature and people. A directory that delivers the appeal of each to the whole world.

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INSTAGRAM / 6

Official and local Instagram photos

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THINGS TO DO / 6

Things to do in this prefecture

Choose from what you can only do here.

01See Naruto WhirlpoolsWatch powerful tidal whirlpools from a sightseeing boat or bridge walkway.See related entries →VKaeru · CC BY-SA 3.002Dance Awa OdoriJoin Tokushima's famous dance to the lively sound of traditional instruments.See related entries →nubobo · CC BY 2.003Cross Iya's Vine BridgeStep carefully across a vine suspension bridge high above a forested gorge.See related entries →okano · CC BY 2.004Explore Iya ValleyJourney through one of Japan's most secluded valleys and mountainside hamlets.See related entries →Dokudami · CC BY-SA 4.005Raft the YoshinoTackle exhilarating rapids through the Oboke and Koboke gorges.See related entries →YOSHIFUMI OGISO · CC BY-SA 3.006Try Indigo DyeingUse traditional Awa indigo to create a uniquely patterned textile.See related entries →Dokudami · CC BY-SA 4.0

NEED TO KNOW

At a glance

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BEST TIME TO TRAVEL

What each season brings

LOCAL FOOD / 12

Local food

What people have long eaten in this place. We collect the dishes themselves, not restaurants.

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Sobagome Zosui

Soba rice, buckwheat groats that have been boiled and hulled, added to a broth simmered with chicken, konjac, carrot and dried shiitake. Also called soba-gome-jiru.

Area：Iya area in Miyoshi, throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Boze no Sugata-zushi

Bouze opened along the back is cured with salt and vinegar, wrapped around vinegared rice scented with sudachi or yuzu, and pressed while keeping the shape of the whole fish.

Area：Southern part of the prefecture, throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Iya no Dekomawashi

Boiled taro or potato, konjac, buckwheat flour dumplings and tofu are skewered on bamboo sticks, grilled plain, then brushed with miso sauce and grilled while the skewers are turned.

Area：Iya region, Miyoshi

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Handa Somen Noodles

A somen noodle made by hand-stretching, on the thick side. Boiled and chilled to eat, also eaten in warm broth, and the fushi, the end parts of the noodles, are used as an ingredient in soup.

Area：Handa district in Tsurugi, throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Iya Soba Noodles

Because it is kneaded and cut using only buckwheat flour and water, with no binding flour, the noodles are short and break easily. Warm dashi is poured over it, with fried tofu, kamaboko fish cake, green onion and wild vegetables.

Area：Iya area, Miyoshi

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Awa Uiro

Adzuki bean paste mixed with wasanbon sugar, sugar and salt, combined with joshinko and mochiko rice flours, poured into a mold and steamed until set. After steaming it is left overnight before being cut.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Narae

Daikon, carrot, lotus root, burdock, dried shiitake, konjac and fried tofu are simmered, then dressed with a mixture of white sesame, vinegar, yuzu vinegar, sugar and soy sauce.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Omiisan

Rice and finely cut taro, daikon and daikon leaves are brought to a boil in dashi made from dried sardines, and miso is scattered in in lumps and dissolved. A miso-based rice porridge.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Imo Mochi

Boiled sweet potato is mashed together with mochiko (glutinous rice flour), sugar and salt, wrapped around adzuki bean paste, rolled into balls and coated with kinako (roasted soybean flour).

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Kintokimame-iri Bara-zushi

Vinegared rice made with citrus vinegar such as sudachi or yuzu, mixed with sweetly simmered kintoki beans and with konjac, chikuwa, carrot and burdock simmered in dashi and soy sauce.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Amego no Hirara-yaki

A round wall of miso is built on a flat stone, water, sugar and sake are put inside and heated through, and amego river fish, tofu, konjac, shiitake and wild vegetables are placed on it and cooked.

Area：Iya area, Miyoshi

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Awa no Itokoni

Sweet potato that has been boiled and dried is rehydrated in water, adzuki beans simmered separately and salt are added, and it is cooked over low heat for about two hours.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

MICHI-NO-EKI / 18

Michi-no-Eki roadside stations

RestInformationLocal links

Rest facilities registered by Japan's national government. Each has parking and toilets open 24 hours, and by definition includes a facility that sells local products. This is where the making and the food of this prefecture can actually be bought.

There are 18 stations in this prefecture in all (national registry).

Source: MLIT register of Michi-no-Eki

LOCAL ACCOUNTS / 1

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Japanese-language accounts that post about this area.

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CITIES & TOWNS / 20

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Sorted by number of entries. Start from the name of a town.

Tokushima 31Miyoshi 12Naruto 10Anan 5Kamiyama 4Minami 3Awa 3Komatsushima 3Aizumi 3Mima 3Kamiita 2Yoshinogawa 2Itano 1Katsuura 1Kaiyo 1Tsurugi 1Kamikatsu 1Mugi 1
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INTERESTS / 11

Find by interest

Only the interests found in this prefecture.

Ryozenji · Dokudami · CC BY-SA 4.0

Shrines & Temples31 entries

Ryozenji ／ Oasahiko Jinja

To the list Oboke Koboke · 京浜にけ · CC BY-SA 3.0

Nature & Scenery18 entries

Oboke Koboke ／ Mt. Bizan

To the list Takagai Stone Terraces · Sorryosorry · Public domain

Historic Districts39 entries

Takagai Stone Terraces ／ 4S STAY Awa-Ikeda Station

To the list Udatsu · Tamago915 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Architecture18 entries

Udatsu ／ Iya no Kazurabashi

To the list Ai no Yakata Indigo Museum · Tamago915 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Museums8 entries

Ai no Yakata Indigo Museum ／ Awa Odori Kaikan

To the list Awa Odori · nubobo · CC BY 2.0

Art & Crafts41 entries

Awa Odori ／ Otsuka Museum

To the list Kamiyama Artist in Residence · Geyon · CC BY-SA 4.0

Contemporary Art7 entries

Kamiyama Artist in Residence ／ Awa Earth Pillars

To the list Nichia Corporation Headquarters · Mti · CC BY-SA 3.0

Craft Experiences48 entries

Nichia Corporation Headquarters ／ Shikoku Kakoki Anan Food Factory

To the list Naruto no Uzushio · VKaeru · CC BY-SA 3.0

Culture & History9 entries

Naruto no Uzushio ／ The Chomeisugi at Gokurakuji Temple

To the list Shikoku Kakoki Head Office Factory · AreaPhoto · CC BY-SA 4.0

Food & Markets43 entries

Shikoku Kakoki Head Office Factory ／ Tokushima Prefectural Industrial Technology Center

To the list Hiwasa Chelonian Museum Caretta · Totti · CC BY-SA 4.0

Experiences16 entries

Hiwasa Chelonian Museum Caretta ／ Sakurazutsumi Park

To the list

HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of this prefecture

From entries with clearly licensed photos.

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Shrines & Temples
Naruto

Ryozenji

The first temple of the Shikoku 88. The circuit runs about 1,400 kilometres around temples tied to Kukai, and it goes right around the island: Tokushima the road of resolve, Kochi the road of practice, Ehime the road of enlightenment, Kagawa the road of nirvana. Shikoku is divided not by provincial borders but by the stages of practice.

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Architecture
Mima

Udatsu

The firewalls of merchant houses made rich by indigo. The origin of the Japanese phrase about getting on in life.

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SMILE NEWS / 136

Smile news from Japan and the world

Stories that lift your spirits a little, collected with their sources.

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Patagonia National Park, Chile

Women rangers return Darwin's rheas to the wild in Chile

In Chile's Patagonia National Park, a women-led ranger team returned 13 Darwin's rheas to the wild in April 2026. Working with the Rewilding Chile Foundation, they care for the birds around the clock; surveys once estimated only about 11 to 15 remained.

source: Mongabay
Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe

New 210-million-year-old dinosaur species named from Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba shore

A new dinosaur species, Musango matusadonaensis, has been described from rocks about 210 million years old in Matusadona National Park on the shore of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. The bipedal, not-yet-adult animal was about 4.5 metres long, and the find suggests Zimbabwe's dinosaur fauna differed from South Africa's.

source: Phys.org (The Conversation)

INSTAGRAM

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#徳島県Tokushima Prefecture

SEASONS & EVENTS

Seasons & events

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BEFORE YOU GO

Before you go

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Q1Q. What do people get wrong about IC cards (Suica, PASMO) in Japan?Q2Q. What do people get wrong about coin lockers and luggage forwarding in Japan?Q3Q. What do people get wrong about Golden Week, Obon and New Year travel?

TRAVEL

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