Tokushima Hidden Gems
20 spots
Naruto Whirlpools — Tidal Vortex Spectacle
Stand on the Uzu-no-Michi glass floor and watch seawater spiral 45 meters below your feet. The Naruto Strait squeezes 44…
Awa Odori Festival — Japan's Wildest Dance Party
Awa Odori (阿波踊り) is Tokushima's signature dance festival held every August 12–15, drawing 1.2 million visitors to watch…
Iya Valley Vine Bridges — Gorge-Spanning Suspension
Step onto the slats and the bridge lurches sideways. Vine cables groan. Through the 7-centimeter gaps between boards, th…
Ryozen-ji Temple — Start of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage
Ryozen-ji (霊山寺) is Temple #1 of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage (四国八十八ヶ所, Shikoku Hachijū-Hakkasho), a 1,200km Buddhist pilgrim…
Otsuka Museum of Art — World's Largest Ceramic Gallery
Lie on your back in the Sistine Chapel. Nobody stops you—there's no original to damage. Michelangelo's Creation of Adam…
Tokushima Ramen — Rich Pork Bone Broth with Raw Egg
Tokushima ramen (徳島ラーメン) is distinct from other regional ramen styles, featuring a dark brown pork bone broth (豚骨醤油, ton…
Oboke and Koboke Gorges — Marble Rock Canyons
The Yoshino River has carved two dramatic gorges through western Tokushima: Oboke (大歩危, 'big steps danger') and Koboke (…
Iya Valley Scarecrow Village — Life-Size Doll Population
Nagoro (名頃) is a depopulated mountain hamlet in the Iya Valley where life-size scarecrows (案山子, kakashi) outnumber human…
Mt. Tsurugi — Shikoku's Second Highest Peak
Mt. Tsurugi (剣山, 'Sword Mountain,' 1,955m) is Shikoku's second-highest peak, featuring alpine meadows, dwarf bamboo slop…
Awa Indigo Dyeing — Traditional Blue Textile Craft
Tokushima was historically Japan's leading producer of ai (藍, indigo dye), with Awa indigo (阿波藍) considered the highest…
Yakuoji Temple — Coastal Pilgrimage Site for Warding Bad Luck
Yakuoji (薬王寺) is Temple #23 of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage, dramatically positioned on a coastal mountain with Pacific Ocea…
Kazurabashi at Oku-Iya — Double Vine Bridges and Cable Car
Deeper in the Iya Valley, 45 minutes beyond the main tourist bridge, lie the Oku-Iya Double Kazurabashi (奥祖谷二重かずら橋) — tw…
Bizan Ropeway — City and River Panorama
Mt. Bizan (眉山, 'Eyebrow Mountain,' 290m) rises behind central Tokushima City, named for its eyebrow-like ridge profile w…
Sudachi Citrus — Tokushima's Signature Green Lime
Sudachi (酢橘) is a small green citrus fruit (3–4cm diameter) native to Tokushima Prefecture, similar to lime or yuzu but…
Iya Onsen Cliff Bath — Riverside Rotenburo via Cable Car
The cable car drops you 170 meters down a cliff face in five minutes. Through the window, tree canopy gives way to rock…
Tokushima Central Wholesale Market — Morning Tuna Auctions
Tokushima Central Wholesale Market (徳島市中央卸売市場) is a functioning seafood and produce market where Tokushima's restaurants…
Peeing Boy Statue — Roadside Cliff Landmark
The Shonben Kozo (小便小僧, 'Peeing Boy') statue stands on a narrow rock outcrop jutting over a 200-meter cliff drop on the…
Udatsu Townscape — Edo Merchant District
The Udatsu Townscape (うだつの町並み) in Mima City preserves an Edo-period merchant district where wealthy indigo traders built…
Takegashima Hot Spring — Seaside Onsen with Pacific Views
Takegashima Onsen (竹ヶ島温泉) is a small hot spring resort on Tokushima's southern coast, featuring outdoor baths overlookin…
Awa Japanese Beef — Premium Tokushima Wagyu
Awa Beef (阿波牛, Awa-gyu) is Tokushima Prefecture's premium wagyu brand, raised on feed incorporating local sudachi citrus…