Written by TC Team
Shimokitazawa’s Ichibanchō shopping district comes to life in mid-August as the local Awa Odori festival parades through the streets.
What is Awa Odori?
Awa Odori is a traditional dance festival made up of many groups of choreographed dancers. It’s a chance to see participants donning traditional Obon outfits, singing, chanting, and dancing throughout the neighborhood — a summertime classic!
What happens?
Across two nights, 21 teams will parade along the route from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The festival features teams from all over Tokyo, but expect big cheers for the local Shimokitazawa crew. There is also a solid contingent of teams from Kōenji — venue for the hugely popular Kōenji Awaodori Festival, which usually happens on the weekend following this festival.
In addition to the parades on Saturday and Sunday, there is usually a pre-event on the Friday called “Awa Night” with food and drink stalls filling the streets of the Ichibanchō shopping street.
