The Beauty of Geisha Dancing Awa Odori at the “Kagurazaka Festival 2024”
The Beauty of Geisha Dancing Awa Odori at the “Kagurazaka Festival 2024”: The Charm that Increases by Concealing Awa Odori Has Begun in Kagurazaka On the third day of the “Kagurazaka Matsuri (Festival) 2024” (July 26, 2024), an Awa Odori competition was held. Members of the Diet, the mayor of Shinjuku, and Shinjuku ward council members watched the Awa Odori from the VIP seats, enjoying the festival at its peak. Today is the final day, and, like the third day, another Awa Odori is scheduled. According to the organizers, 150,000 people are expected to participate in the “Kagurazaka Festival 2024.” Kagurazaka and Awa Odori Share a Connection Dating Back Nearly 400 Years The reason for holding the Awa Odori in Kagurazaka stems from the historical connection to the ‘Ushigome Gate’ at Edo Castle, which was built in 1636 by Tadahide Hachisuka, the lord of the Awa Tokushima domain. Thanks to this nearly 400-year-old connection, a grand Awa Odori competition has been held in Kagurazaka since 1972. Awa Odori is characterized by women wearing unique long woven hats that partially conceal their faces, creating a state where the face is almost but not quite visible. Awa Odori: A Dance Created