On August 18th, some SNG students got the opportunity to take part in one of the major summer event in Tokyo : Shimokitazawa Awaodori Festival.

What’s Awa Odori ?

Awa Odori literally means : “Awa dance”. The Awa Odori exists since the XVI Century and it used to be celebrated in Tokushima. It is also called the Dance of the fools since the chorus of the Awa Odori song is “The dancing fool and the watching fool are the same fool, so why don’t we dance”.

Awa Odori Shimokitazawa

Shimokitazawa is one of the most authentic and trendy area in Tokyo. Its back alleys are packed with small shops, thrift stores, bars and restaurants. An Awa Odori is organized every year in this area since 1966. Smaller than the one in Koenji (another place in tokyo), the Shimokitazawa one differs itself with a distinctive atmosphere and the proximity between the dancers and the public.
As for SNG students, they got the opportunity to follow Takarabune, a professional dance team, all night long. You can now see the video of the event. If you want to dance in Shimokitazawa streets and discover more of Japanese culture, come to live in Tokyo and study at SNG !