15 Best Things to Do in Tokushima, Japan (2026)

Why Visit Tokushima

Tokushima Prefecture sits on the eastern edge of Shikoku, linked to the main island of Honshu by the great bridges spanning the Naruto Strait. It is best known for three things: the tidal whirlpools at Naruto, the Awa Odori dance festival, and the mountainous Iya Valley in its remote west.

The prefectural capital, Tokushima City, is compact and walkable, with the Awa Odori Kaikan and Mount Bizan ropeway right in the centre. It also serves as the natural gateway for day trips deeper into Shikoku.

Top Things to Do in Tokushima

Tokushima's headline attractions are spread between the coast around Naruto and the city centre, all reachable on a short trip. Here are the five you should not miss, each covered in depth in its own guide.

1. Watch the Naruto Whirlpools
   • The Naruto Strait produces some of the largest tidal whirlpools in the world, spinning up to 20 metres across on spring tides.
   • You can see them from a sightseeing boat or the Uzu-no-michi walkway, and timing your visit to the tide is essential.
2. Experience the Awa Odori Dance Festival
   • Every August the streets of Tokushima City fill with the drums and flutes of Awa Odori, Japan's largest dance festival.
   • If you miss the festival dates, the Awa Odori Kaikan stages the dance year-round.
3. Visit the Otsuka Museum of Art
   • Near Naruto, the Otsuka Museum of Art displays full-scale ceramic reproductions of more than 1,000 masterpieces, from the Sistine Chapel to the Mona Lisa.
   • It is Japan's largest permanent exhibition space and needs at least three hours.
4. Ride the Mount Bizan Ropeway
   • A short ropeway climbs Mount Bizan from the city centre to a summit observation deck.
   • The view over Tokushima and the Seto Inland Sea is best at dusk.
5. Cross the Great Naruto Bridge and Uzu-no-michi
   • The Uzu-no-michi glass walkway is built into the underside of the Great Naruto Bridge, 45 metres above the whirlpools.
   • It is the best way to look straight down onto the vortexes as they form.

Best Day Trips from Tokushima

Two of the most rewarding parts of the prefecture sit beyond Tokushima City and deserve their own day. Both are covered in dedicated hub guides.

• The Iya Valley
  • Deep in western Tokushima, the Iya Valley is a remote gorge of vine bridges, the Oboke sightseeing boat, and the Nagoro scarecrow village.
  • It is Shikoku's most atmospheric mountain escape and works best as an overnight trip.
• Kotohira and Konpira-san
  • Just across the border in Kagawa, Kotohira is home to the Konpira-san shrine and its famous 1,368 steps, plus Japan's oldest surviving kabuki theatre.
  • It pairs naturally with a Tokushima trip on the way to or from Takamatsu.

Getting to Tokushima and Around

The fastest way in is the highway bus from Osaka or Kobe, which crosses the Akashi and Awaji bridges to reach Tokushima City in about two and a half hours. There are also connections from Okayama and Takamatsu, and Tokushima Awaodori Airport handles flights from Tokyo. Our getting to Tokushima guide has the full breakdown.

Once you arrive, the city centre is walkable, but reaching Naruto, the Otsuka Museum, or the Iya Valley is far easier with local buses, a rental car, or an organised tour. A one or two-day itinerary helps tie the scattered sights together.

Best Time to Visit Tokushima

The single biggest draw is the Awa Odori festival in mid-August, when the city is at its liveliest — book accommodation months ahead. For details on every season, see our best time to visit guide.

Spring brings cherry blossom to Mount Bizan, while autumn paints the Iya Valley in colour and is arguably the most comfortable time to travel. Summer outside the festival is hot and humid, and the region can be brushed by typhoons from August into September.