TOKUSHIMA CITY (徳島市) - TOKUSHIMA

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Tokushima City (徳島市) is a modern city in northern Tokushima Prefecture(徳島県) where the Yoshino River and its tributaries create a delta. Tokushima city is the main transport hub of eastern Shikoku. In terms of layout and organization, Tokushima displays the typical characteristics of a Japanese castle town.

Tokushima city is one of the gateways to Shikoku, the others being Takamatsu in Kagawa prefecture and Matsuyama in Ehime prefecture.
Tokushima City

Fast Fact - Tokushima City

Most tourists skip over the Shikoku region including Tokushima prefecture, while Tokushima Prefecture has much to offer, from rich natures such as beautiful and breathtaking rivers, the second highest mountain (Mt. Tsurugi) in the western Japan to traditional features such as exiting dance festivals (Awa Odori) and puppet theatre (Ningyo Joruri).
The most famous Awa Odori Festival is held in Tokushima City from August 12 to 15 every year. (More information about Awa Odori Festival (阿波踊り; Awa Dance Festival))

The way to see and experience “REAL” Shikoku is to be a “doer” rather than “a looker” or to travel deeper inside of Shikoku. “Nowhere” in Shikoku rather than famous and touristic places are much more beautiful. One thing to remember is that Shikoku people are very friendly to travelers. The best way to experience all is to make a pilgrimage in Shikoku, if time permits.
Yet, most of the inside Shikoku is less developed and it’s harder to get to; it’s better to rent a car in Tokushima City before starting your Shikoku journey.
Even though you don’t have enough time for the pilgrimage, you can try it for one day from Naruto City in which the first temple and the second temples out of 88 temples are. As those first several temples are very close to each other, you can walk up to the 11th temple from the 1st temple, if you fit. Take a train in Tokushima City to the nearest station of the first temple and take a train back where you were in Tokushima City in one day. If you have a couple of days, you come back to Tokushima City eventually as the 17th temple is very closed to the Tokushima City center. Be warned that you should not go farther after the 11th temple while feeling walking farther, if you want to try it only for one day, as from the 11th temple, the road is leading to the deeper mountain to the 12th temple.
(More information about Shikoku Pilgrimage)

To pilgrims, after you arrive in Tokushima City, be ready for your journey in Tokushima City. Take a train to Bando station which is 900m away from the Ryozenji temple (the first temple) where most henro (pilgrims) start from.
After you reach the 17th temple (Idoji temple) in Tokushima City, be REALLY ready for your long journey in Tokushima City especially if you want to buy particular kind of things like a special type of gas for your cooking stove, as there is no such a big city until you get to Kochi City after the long distance.
(More information about Shikoku Pilgrimage)

See

Awa Odori Kaikan (阿波おどり会館)
2-20 Shinmachi,
+81 088-611-1611 9AM-5PM.
Exhibits include video and panoramas of the Awa Odori festival. There are several daily performances of the Awa Odori dances (¥500). ¥300.

Tokushima Castle (徳島城)
1-8 Tokushima-cho,
+81 088-656-2525 Garden and museum Tu-Su.
It is the castle ruins and has a view over the city.
Admission to the garden and museum is ¥300 adults, ¥200 students.

Tokushima Modern Art Museum (近代美術館)
+81 088-668-1+81 088.
Tu-Su 9:30AM-5PM.
Take a bus to Bunka-no-Mori Park from JR Tokushima Station, or walk west from JR Bunkanomori Station. ¥200 regular, ¥600 including special exhibits.

Tokushima Prefectural Art Museum (博物館)
+81 088-668-3636 Tu-Su 9:30AM-5PM.
It’s in Bunka-no-Mori Park. ¥200 adults, ¥50 children.

Access to Tokushima City

By plane
Pint-sized Tokushima Airport , to the north of the city, has daily services to Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo. Buses to JR Tokushima Station take 25 minutes and cost ¥430. The schedules are synchronized to flight departures/arrivals.
Buses run to the station from Kobe Airport every 1-2 hours at 55 minutes past (2 1/2 hours, ¥3200). Airport Limousine buses operate from the nearest international gateway, Kansai International Airport in Osaka (2 3/4 hours, ¥4000 — cheaper if you purchase a round trip ticket).

By train
From Okayama, take a Marine Liner rapid train to Takamatsu, then transfer to the Uzushio limited express for the run to Tokushima (2 hours, ¥4420). Two daily Uzushio trains run directly from Okayama, leaving at 11:05 and 19:05, with no change of trains required (¥5050).
The JR Tokushima Line runs toward Ikeda (2 hours), for connections south towards the Iya Valley.

By bus
If arriving from Kansai via Awaji Island, you're pretty much guaranteed to end up in Tokushima. JR Bus operates many services to Tokushima: Awa Express bus service leaves from Kobe and Kobe Airport (2 hours from Shin-Kobe station, ¥3200, 15 daily round-trips), Osaka (2 3/4 hours, ¥3600, 23 daily round-trips), Kyoto (3 hours, ¥4100, 7 daily round-trips), and on weekends and holidays, Nara (4 hours, ¥3900, 2 round-trips). Keihan Railways has its own highway bus that travels to and from Kyoto and Hirakata.
The overnight Dream Tokushima bus runs from Tokyo and Shinjuku (10 hours, ¥10000 each way).

By ferry
Ocean East (tel. 03-5148-0109) operates a ferry service between Tokyo, Tokushima and Kitakyushu. Both the Tokyo and Kitakyushu runs are overnight; passengers can book Western-style bedrooms, bunks, or sleep on the floor. If you're sleeping on the floor, this is one of the cheapest ways to get to Tokushima: Tokyo -Tokushima ¥9310 each way; Kitakyushu -Tokushima ¥6790 each way. ¥25,480 on the Tokyo run and ¥17,920 on the Kitakyushu run (first-class) .
Nankai Ferry (tel. 073-422-2156) operates another ferry to Wakayama, which is easily accessible from the Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto/Nara) area. The ferry takes just two hours, costs ¥2000, and runs about every 2 hours, even in the middle of the night. (To pilgrims, take this ferry to go/come to/from Mt. Koya)

Tourist information

JR Tokushima Station, +81 088-622-8556 9AM-8PM.
Tokushima City Tourist Association, 2-20 Shinmachi, Awa-Odori Kaikan, +81 088-622-4010 9AM-5PM.

Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (トピア TOPIA), 1-61 Terashima Honcho Nishi, 6F Clement Plaza, +81 088-656-3303 10AM-6PM. An excellent place to drop in with Internet access (¥50 for 10 min) and lots of guidebooks and other information to borrow. TOPIA staff can help you book accommodation and recommend things to see and do. It's on the 6th floor of the shopping mall above JR Tokushima Station.

Where do you want to go in Shikoku?

Shikoku Henro (Shikoku Pilgrimage)

How to get to and around Tokushima

From Kansai international airport
Shinkansen route
Japan Railways
Highway bus route

Subway lines in Kansai
Buses in Shikokui

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