Tokushima, Japan

Tokushima is the main transport hub of eastern Shikoku. It has only a few worthwhile attractions, but its palm-lined boulevards are pleasant enough to pass through on your way to more interesting places. Flanked by forest-covered mountains and centred on a palm tree–lined promenade, the bustling modern city of Tokushima is best known for its annual Awa-odori festival in August. Tokushima also boasts a number of interesting attractions, and is a convenient base for exploring the nearby Naruto whirlpools. To most o-henrô, however, Tokushima serves as the gateway to the island, and as the jumping-off point for the first group of temples. The first major city beyond the Akashi Kaikyo-Ohashi bridge, Tokushima is a small, but modern metropolis with a quaint air. The city is best known for its annual Awa-Odori festival (considered by some to be "Japan's Mardi Gras"), which is held during the yearly Obon period in mid-August. This is a three-day festival during which the city's population explodes and finding hotel rooms can be difficult. During the festival days, the city is quiet, but once dusk comes, thousands of people are out drinking, watching dancing groups call ren, and generally enjoying themselves. Some local people claim the festival began with the completion of Tokushima Castle, which was later dismantled. All the men doing that construction work meant there was a market for female company, which is why the females' distinctive hats cover their faces yet the ladies also repeatedly show their ankles and lower legs while dancing. The major geographic feature of the city is its mountain of Bizan, accessible by an inexpensive ropeway located south of the Yoshino River. From its summit, you can get a nice panoramic view of the area.