A night of Obon in Tsuda, sending spirits out to sea with straw figures and dance
Tsuda Bon Odori
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Around August 15 on the Gregorian calendar
- Location
- Tsuda-cho, Tokushima City; Tsuda Port
- Area
- Tokushima Prefecture・Tokushima City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 15 min–1 h 35 min · flight time only)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
Tsuda is an event held in the Tsuda district of Tokushima City around August 15 on the Gregorian calendar. It consists of Iccho-mawari, a procession that winds through the neighborhood as it dances, and a sending-off of the spirits at Tsuda Port, where straw figures are set adrift to send off the spirits of ancestors and those who died at sea.
About Tsuda Bon Odori
Tsuda Bon Odori is an event held in the Tsuda district of Tokushima City around August 15 on the Gregorian calendar, during the Obon period observed one month later than usual.
From evening into the night, Iccho-mawari—a procession that winds through the neighborhood as it dances—and a sending-off of the spirits at Tsuda Port take place.
At the heart of the event is the practice of welcoming the spirits of ancestors who visit during Obon, as well as the spirits of relatives who died at sea, then sending them off through dance and straw figures.
Festival highlights
At the head of the procession, a leader wearing an Ebisu mask carries a flag, followed by children’s dancers, men’s dancers, and women’s dancers.
Distinctive features include the “Komo-chigumi,” who dance carrying baby dolls on their backs, and the musical accompaniment at the rear, with flutes, shamisen, a large drum, tsuzumi drums, and gongs.
Circle dances are performed at several spots in the neighborhood and at Tsuda Port, where the event then moves on to the sending-off of the spirits.
A night of Obon in Tsuda, sending spirits out to sea with straw figures and dance
What to expect
During Iccho-mawari, the procession of dancers makes its way through the neighborhood, performing circle dances at several spots along the route and at Tsuda Port.
At the port, a bonfire is lit and offerings are presented. The Komo-chigumi place a straw figure in front of the fire and recite words facing the sea, asking for the spirits’ return.
Afterward, the straw figure is set adrift at sea. Salt is scattered as Buddhist prayers are chanted, and people return home without looking back, stepping over the salt scattered on the road.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Tsuda-cho, Tokushima City
港での行事：津田港
Address Tsuda-cho, Tokushima City
Dates and season
It takes place around August 15 on the Gregorian calendar, from evening into the night.
The event consists of Iccho-mawari, a procession that winds through the neighborhood, and a sending-off of the spirits at Tsuda Port.
Accommodation and hotels PR
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Nearby attractions
とくしま動物園
徳島県の動物園・水族館のスポットです。
徳島中央公園
徳島県徳島市の徳島城跡を利用した公園
徳島城
徳島県徳島市の城
徳島市立徳島城博物館
徳島県徳島市にある博物館
徳島市立考古資料館
徳島県徳島市国府町西矢野にある資料館
写真：Sorrysorry at Japanese Wikipedia / Public domain
Photo source ·
徳島眉山天神社
徳島県徳島市にある神社
徳島県文化の森総合公園
徳島県徳島市八万町の向寺山にある公園
徳島県立博物館
徳島県徳島市の文化の森総合公園にある博物館
徳島県立文学書道館
徳島県徳島市中前川町にある文学館
徳島県立近代美術館
徳島県徳島市の文化の森総合公園にある美術館
徳島県立鳥居龍蔵記念博物館
徳島県徳島市の文化の森総合公園にある博物館
徳島県郷土文化会館
徳島市にある文化施設
Origins and History of Tsuda Bon Odori
Fishing and shipping have long been among the main livelihoods in the Tsuda district, reflecting its close connection to the sea.
It is said that even in the age of sailing ships, which lasted until the end of the Meiji period, many people were lost at sea. The sending-off of the spirits during Bon Odori was performed as a “calling of the souls” to call back husbands and relatives who had died while fishing or at sea.
The act of transferring the dead person’s spirit to a straw figure and sending it out to sea, then scattering salt and leaving without looking back, expresses both reverence for the dead and the act of bidding them farewell.
Official information
A folk-culture curator at the Tokushima Prefectural Museum explains the procession, musical accompaniment, sending-off of the spirits, and the meaning of the straw figures in Tsuda Bon Odori.
The Tokushima Prefecture guide lists Tsuda Bon Odori as a festival event held in Tsuda-cho, Tokushima City, on August 15.
Tsuda Bon Odori at a Glance
Tsuda Bon Odori is an Obon event held in Tsuda-cho, Tokushima City, around August 15 on the Gregorian calendar, combining dancing with a sending-off of the spirits.
The procession, led by a dancer wearing an Ebisu mask, includes children’s dancers, men’s and women’s dancers, the Komo-chigumi, and musicians playing flutes, shamisen, and other instruments; it proceeds from the neighborhood to Tsuda Port.
At the port, bonfires, straw figures, Buddhist chanting, and the scattering of salt are used to send off ancestors and those who died at sea.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
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Article updated: 2026/11/11
