Tokushima attractions: performance, strait and valley fees and access
Choose Awa Odori Kaikan for dance performances or Bizan for city views. For strait whirlpools, time Uzu no Michi around the tide chart. For a closer look at the valley, compare Iya’s vine bridge with the Oboke boat, choosing western transport and accommodation first.
Attraction fees and directions
Awa Odori Kaikan
阿波おどり会館
Even outside the summer festival, you can watch an Awa Odori performance at Awa Odori Kaikan. You can also learn the dance during the participation section. Daytime shows last 40 minutes; for arrival-day plans, reach the Kaikan before the start.
- AdmissionDaytime performances cost ¥1,300 for adults and ¥700 for elementary and junior high school pupils; evening shows cost ¥1,600 and ¥800 respectively. These are separate from museum admission.
- PerformancesRegular daytime shows start at 11:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00 and last 40 minutes; the 20:00 evening show lasts 50 minutes. Regular shows pause from 11 to 15 August, with separate dates and prices for special festival performances. The Kaikan closes on the second Wednesday of February, June, September and December, or the following day if it is a public holiday, and from 28 December to 1 January. Performance notices take priority for temporary changes.
- ReservationsIndividuals and small groups do not book ordinary regular performances in advance. Arrive for your chosen show and buy tickets. Groups of 20 or more have separate reservation information.
- Getting thereWalk from Tokushima Station to the Kaikan and go to the second-floor theatre. Bizan Ropeway boards on the fifth floor of the same building.
Kaikan performances and ropeway fares and servicesOfficial fare tableIndividual and group reservation guide
Bizan Ropeway
眉山ロープウエイ
Choose Bizan for views towards the city, rivers and sea, which vary with the weather. You can take the ropeway in the same building after a performance.
- AdmissionReturn fares are ¥1,500 for junior high school pupils and older visitors and ¥800 for elementary pupils. One-way fares are ¥900 and ¥500 respectively.
- HoursServices run 09:00–21:00 from April to October and 09:00–17:30 from November to March. Maintenance and bad weather may suspend services.
- Getting thereBoard at the Kaikan’s fifth-floor lower station and get off at the summit station. The ride takes about 6 minutes, excluding queues and walks around the viewing area.
Kaikan performances and ropeway fares and services
Uzu no Michi
Uzunomichi Whirlpool Walkway大鳴門橋遊歩道 渦の道
At Uzu no Michi, walk beneath the bridge and look down over Naruto Strait. Glass floor sections let you see the water below your feet. Whirlpool timing and size vary by day, so plan around the tide chart for your date.
- AdmissionAdmission costs ¥510 for adults, ¥410 for junior high and high school pupils, and ¥260 for elementary pupils. Under-6s enter free.
- HoursThe walkway opens 09:00–18:00 from March to September, with entry until 17:30; 09:00–17:00 from October to February, with entry until 16:30. Golden Week and summer holidays have separate hours. It closes on the second Monday of March, June, September and December, with an additional closure notice for 14–16 December 2026.
- Getting thereFrom outside Tokushima Station, take a Naruto Park-bound bus, get off at Naruto Park and walk about 5 minutes. The facility gives a bus journey of about 80 minutes, excluding waits. By car, set navigation to the Onaruto Bridge Memorial Hall Eddy as advised by the facility. Searching only for Uzu no Michi may lead elsewhere.
- What to seeLook down over Naruto Strait from the walkway beneath the bridge and its glass floor sections. Whirlpool visibility depends on tide times.
Check admission and closuresTide chart for your visit dateDirections to the entranceUzu no Michi walkway and glass floors
Iya Kazurabashi
Iya-no-Kazurabashi祖谷のかずら橋
Cross a vine bridge above the valley. If gaps in the floor or swaying worry you, look at the bridge when you arrive before deciding whether to cross. You can also choose not to cross.
- AdmissionAdmission costs ¥550 for junior high school pupils and older visitors and ¥350 for elementary pupils. Children below school age enter free. Kazurabashi Yumebutai parking costs ¥500 per ordinary car, separate from bridge admission. Parking cannot be reserved.
- HoursThe bridge opens 08:00–18:00 from April to June, 07:30–18:30 in July and August, and 08:00–17:00 from September to March. Check separate notices for bad-weather changes.
- Getting thereContinue from JR Oboke Station by bus or taxi. Iya Kazurabashi and the Oku-Iya Double Vine Bridges are different destinations. The official walk from Kazurabashi or Kazurabashi-Yumebutai bus stop to the bridge is about 5 minutes. By car, set navigation to Kazurabashi Yumebutai car park, then walk through the facility to the bridge. For a return bus, walk back to the stop where you got off. Check buses and hotel transfers for your date first.
Admission and seasonal hoursParking fees and visitor information
Wakimachi Udatsu Street
Udatsu Townscape脇町うだつの町並み
Walk slowly through Wakimachi Udatsu Street, looking at historic house roofs and walls. Udatsu walls between houses helped prevent fire spreading. Choose the street walk and paid Yoshida Residence interior separately.
- Admission and hoursDistinguish a street walk from house interiors. Island Udatsu, the connecting facility, opens 09:00–17:30 and closes from 27 December to 1 January. Yoshida Residence admission costs ¥510 for adults and ¥250 for children; it opens 09:00–17:00, with entry until 16:30. Individual shops have different hours.
- Getting thereGo to Island Udatsu’s ordinary-car parking area. Official driving estimates are about 1 hour 5 minutes from Tokushima city or 7 minutes from Wakimachi IC. The 39-space ordinary-car area is separate from tourist-coach parking. Ask the facility about fees. After parking, walk towards the Yoshida Residence to enter the historic street.
- What to seeSee historic house exteriors and udatsu walls that helped prevent fire spreading to neighbouring houses.
Island Udatsu location and opening hoursYoshida Residence admission and hoursOrdinary-car and tourist-coach parking areasWakimachi Udatsu Street’s historic houses and firebreak walls
Oboke Gorge sightseeing boat
Oboke Gorge Pleasure Cruise大歩危峡観光遊覧船
See Oboke Gorge from below on a boat. The roughly 30-minute journey follows the river and returns to the same landing. The itinerary with two nights in Iya visits the boat and vine bridge on separate days. Strong winds or high water may change services.
- AdmissionThe operator’s current boat fares are ¥1,800 for adults and ¥900 for children aged 3 through elementary school. The tourism association’s ¥1,500 adult price predates the September 2026 increase. Use the operator’s current information to check the fare.
- Hours and reservationsOperating hours are 09:00–17:00, with the final departure at 16:30. The trip takes about 30 minutes. Individuals and groups buy tickets without reservations at the ground-floor counter. Strong winds or high water may cancel services; low water may shorten the trip. Allow extra time for queues and ticket purchases.
- Getting thereBy car, drive from your hotel to Obokekyo Mannaka in Nishiu, Yamashirocho, Miyoshi. Park, buy tickets at the ground-floor counter and go to the landing. From JR Oboke Station, the tourism association gives about 25 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by car. Actual hotel-to-facility driving time and parking conditions require separate checks using your hotel address.
Boat operator admission and boarding guide2026 fare change noticeTourism association parking and access guide
Checks before departure and FAQs
Are Naruto’s whirlpools visible at any time?
Whirlpools may be absent at some times. Check Uzu no Michi’s tide chart for your visit date together with last admission.
Do I need to reserve regular Awa Odori Kaikan performances?
Individuals and small groups visit for their chosen show without advance reservations. Groups of 20 or more have separate reservation arrangements. Regular shows pause from 11 to 15 August; do not apply normal times and prices during that period.
Do I have to pay Yoshida Residence admission to walk Udatsu Street?
A street walk and house interior visit are separate. The optional Yoshida Residence interior costs ¥510 for adults and ¥250 for children. It opens 09:00–17:00, with entry until 16:30. Individual shops have different hours.
Yoshida Residence admission and hoursIsland Udatsu location and opening hours
Official sources and check dates
- Kaikan performances and ropeway fares and services ·
- Individual and group reservation guide ·
- Check admission and closures ·
- Directions to the entrance ·
- Tide chart for your visit date ·
- Admission and seasonal hours ·
- Parking fees and visitor information ·
- Boat operator admission and boarding guide ·
- 2026 fare change notice ·
- Island Udatsu location and opening hours ·
- Yoshida Residence admission and hours ·
- Ordinary-car and tourist-coach parking areas ·
- Tourism association parking and access guide ·
- Official fare table ·
- Wakimachi Udatsu Street’s historic houses and firebreak walls ·
- Uzu no Michi walkway and glass floors ·