One Day in Tokushima City: Mt. Bizan, an Awa Odori Show, a River Cruise and Ramen (Local’s Plan)

Quick answer: Tokushima City is compact: most sights are within a 10-minute walk of JR Tokushima Station, and one day is enough. Watch an Awa Odori dance show at the Awa Odori Kaikan (¥1,300), ride the ropeway up Mt. Bizan from the same building (¥1,500 return), take the 30-minute Hyotanjima river cruise, and walk the castle ruins. Eat Tokushima ramen for lunch and finish in the Akita-machi district at night. Go up Bizan in the evening for the city lights. Then use the city as a base for Naruto and the Iya Valley.

I live in Tokushima and go into the city often. I’ve done everything in this plan myself: up Mt. Bizan by ropeway and by car, the Awa Odori Kaikan show, the Hyotanjima cruise, the castle park, ramen, and evenings around the station and Akita-machi. Outside the August Awa Odori festival, it’s a quiet, easy city to explore on foot.

The plan at a glance

Morning: the castle ruins

Tokushima Central Park, right behind the station, is the site of Tokushima Castle. The castle building is gone, but the stone walls and a reconstructed gate remain. The Tokushima Castle Museum (¥300, closed Mondays) covers the Hachisuka lords who ruled here, and admission includes the old Omote-goten garden.

Late morning: an Awa Odori show

Tokushima is the home of Awa Odori, one of Japan’s biggest dance festivals. If you’re not here in August, the Awa Odori Kaikan has shows every day.

• Day shows: 11:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00, about 40 minutes, ¥1,300. Near the end the audience is invited to join in.
• Night show: 20:00, about 50 minutes, ¥1,600, with a different famous dance group each night.
• The Awa Odori Museum on the 3rd floor costs ¥500.
• A set ticket for the museum, a day show and the ropeway saves ¥300.
• Closed on the 2nd Wednesday of February, June, September and December (next: 9 December 2026), and 28 December – 1 January.

I’ve watched the show here, and it’s the easiest way to see Awa Odori outside festival season. For the festival itself, see Awa Odori: Tickets and How to Watch.

Lunch: Tokushima ramen

Tokushima has its own style of ramen: a dark, rich pork-and-soy broth with sweet simmered pork belly. Crack a raw egg into it and order rice on the side — that’s how locals eat it. I’ve eaten it in the city myself. For where to go, see What to Eat in Tokushima.

Afternoon: the Hyotanjima river cruise

The centre of Tokushima sits on an island shaped like a gourd (hyotan), surrounded by rivers. The Hyotanjima Cruise takes you around it in a small boat in about 30 minutes, under low bridges and past the city. I’ve done it myself.

• Boarding: at the Ryogokubashi pier on Shinmachigawa Waterside Park, about 10 minutes’ walk from the station.
• Daytime: every 40 minutes, 11:00–15:40. Evening sailings also run.
• Fare: about ¥600–800 for adults (check at the pier). No booking needed.
• Runs daily except 1 January and in bad weather.

After the cruise, walk along the Shinmachigawa waterside — riverside terraces just 3 minutes from the station.

Optional: indigo dyeing

Tokushima has been famous for indigo (ai) for centuries, and I’ve tried indigo dyeing here myself. At Ai no Yakata in nearby Aizumi (about 25 minutes by car), you can try indigo dyeing from ¥1,000 (a handkerchief), with no booking needed for individuals. Reception closes at 15:30. For more workshops and booking tips, see Indigo Dyeing in Tokushima.

Evening: Mt. Bizan

Mt. Bizan rises right behind the city. From the top you look over Tokushima, the rivers and out to the sea. In my experience, the view in the evening and at night is beautiful.

• Ropeway: from the 5th floor of the Awa Odori Kaikan. ¥1,500 return, ¥900 one way.
• Hours: 9:00–21:00 from April to October, but only until 17:30 from November to March. In winter, go up before dark or drive.
• By car: there’s a road to the top. I’ve done both; with a car, you can go up after the ropeway stops.

Night: Akita-machi

Cross the river south of the station to Akita-machi, Tokushima’s main dining and nightlife district, about 10 minutes’ walk away. It’s full of izakaya and bars. The streets in front of the station also have plenty of places to eat.

My tip for dinner: yakitori made with Awaodori chicken (阿波尾鶏), Tokushima’s own brand of jidori (free-range local chicken). When friends visit, a yakitori restaurant serving it is where I take them. Many restaurants in the city have it on the menu — look for 阿波尾鶏.

Use Tokushima as your base

One day is enough for the city itself. It’s a good base for:

• Naruto — the whirlpools and the Otsuka Museum of Art, about 30–40 minutes away. See Naruto Whirlpools and Otsuka Museum of Art.
• The Iya Valley — vine bridges and gorges in the mountains. See Iya Valley and Oboke.
• Kamiyama — weeping cherries in spring, a hot spring and farm-to-table food, about 30–45 minutes by car. See Kamiyama.
• The first temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. See Shikoku Pilgrimage: Temples 1–10 by Car.
• Souvenirs — see Tokushima Souvenirs before you head home.

Getting here: see How to Get to Tokushima.

FAQ

Is Tokushima worth visiting?
Yes, as part of a Shikoku trip. One day covers the city, and it’s a good base for Naruto and the Iya Valley.

Can I see Awa Odori outside August?
Yes. The Awa Odori Kaikan has shows every day (closed a few days a year).

Can I ride the Bizan Ropeway at night?
From April to October, until 21:00. From November to March it closes at 17:30.

Is Tokushima walkable?
Yes. The main sights are within about 10 minutes’ walk of JR Tokushima Station.

Show times, fares and hours checked on the official Awa Odori Kaikan, Tokushima City and Ai no Yakata websites on 24 October 2026.

Kaz

Tokushima local with family roots in Hiroshima

I live in Tokushima and my family is from Hiroshima, where I also used to live. I still go back several times a year. The guides here come from places I have actually been. Where I haven't tried something myself, I say so.