Tokushima: Local Specialties, Souvenirs, Shrines & Temples, Sightseeing | Japan 47 Prefecture Guide
Tokushima is where the pilgrimage of the Shikoku 88 begins. Being the entrance to the road is, in itself, the character of the place.
Local Specialties
Sudachi: very nearly the entire national crop is said to come from Tokushima.
It is rare for one prefecture to hold a product this completely. Sudachi took root here as the sourness people reach for at the table. Squeezed over fish, into soup, into shochu. The strength of the district rests on the habit of using it having come first.
Naruto kintoki sweet potato, Naruto wakame, Awa-o-dori chicken, Handa somen. Naruto kintoki is sweet, they say, because it grows in sandy soil near the sea, rich in minerals.
Souvenirs
Sudachi ponzu, Naruto kintoki kintsuba, and fruit. And small indigo-dyed cloth goods.
The yukata worn by the dancers of the Awa Odori were originally dyed with the indigo of this land too. Festival and industry, joined by the same material.
Sacred Sites | Shrines & Temples
31 shrines and temples worth knowing in Tokushima.
Ryozenji(Naruto)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 1 / Eastern area / Blessings: rebirth and renewal, warding off misfortune
The first temple of the Shikoku 88. The circuit runs about 1,400 kilometres around temples tied to Kukai, and it goes right around the island: Tokushima the road of resolve, Kochi the road of practice, Ehime the road of enlightenment, Kagawa the road of nirvana. Shikoku is divided not by provincial borders but by the stages of practice.
Oasahiko Jinja(Naruto)Shinto shrine / Ichinomiya (first shrine) of Awa Province / Eastern area / Blessings: warding off misfortune, good harvests, road safety
It enshrines the deity of hemp and grain, and a great unpainted torii stands in its grounds. Hemp growing and the rise of indigo overlap with this shrine's sphere of faith.
Tairyuji(Anan)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 21 / Southern area / Blessings: warding off misfortune, mountain worship
A mountain temple called the Koya of the west. Kukai is said to have practised here, and today a ropeway runs up.
Yakuoji(Minami)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 23 / Southern area / Blessings: warding off misfortune
Known as a temple for warding off misfortune. Custom is to climb the 42 steps of the men's slope and the 33 of the women's, leaving a coin on each according to your age.
Idoji(Tokushima)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 17 / Eastern area / Blessings: warding off misfortune
A well survives that Kukai is said to have dug in a single night. If your face shows in the water, they say, you will keep your health.
Gokurakuji(Naruto)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 2 / Eastern area / Blessings: safe childbirth, long life
A long-life cedar said to have been planted by Kobo Daishi stands here.
Shosanji(Kamiyama)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 12 / Eastern area / Blessings: mountain worship
The first hard stretch, called a pilgrim-breaker. It stands at 700 metres.
Inbe Jinja(Tokushima)Shinto shrine / Eastern area / Blessings: business prosperity
It enshrines the Inbe clan, who wove hemp and cotton and delivered them to the court.
Otsurugi Jinja(Miyoshi)Shinto shrine / Western area / Blessings: mountain worship
The second highest peak in western Japan. The Ototo rock near the summit is the deity.
Konsenji(Itano)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 3 / Eastern area / Blessings: long life
A well said to have been dug by Kobo Daishi survives. If your face shows in it, you will live long.
Anrakuji(Itano)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 6 / Eastern area / Blessings: long life
A temple on the circuit with a hot spring. It keeps lodgings where pilgrims rest.
Jurakuji(Awa)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 7 / Eastern area / Blessings: warding off misfortune
Its name means leaving the eight sufferings and gaining the ten pleasures. A vermilion gate recalling the dragon palace stands here.
Kirihataji(Awa)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 10 / Important Cultural Property / Eastern area / Blessings: rebirth and renewal
You climb 333 stone steps. Its great pagoda, built at Hideyoshi's order, is an Important Cultural Property.
Tatsueji(Komatsushima)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 19 / Southern area / Blessings: safe childbirth, warding off misfortune
One of the four barrier temples of Shikoku. Those with ill intent were said to be unable to go further.
Kakurinji(Katsuura)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 20 / Important Cultural Property / Southern area / Blessings: mountain worship
At 550 metres. Two cranes are said to have guarded the principal image, so cranes stand where guardian lions usually would.
Hashikuraji(Miyoshi)Buddhist temple / Important Cultural Property / Western area / Blessings: wealth, business prosperity
Called the inner sanctuary of Konpira. The main hall and five other buildings are Important Cultural Properties.
Dainichiji(Tokushima)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 13 / Eastern area / Blessings: warding off misfortune
It was the administrative temple of Ichinomiya Jinja, and keeps a trace of the old fusion of Shinto and Buddhism.
Joraki(Tokushima)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 14 / Eastern area / Blessings: long life
The whole precinct is bare bedrock, and is called the garden of flowing rock.
Awa Kokubunji(Tokushima)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 15 / Place of Scenic Beauty / Eastern area / Blessings: warding off misfortune
Its Momoyama-period dry landscape garden is a Place of Scenic Beauty.
Kannonji (Tokushima)(Tokushima)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 16 / Eastern area / Blessings: warding off misfortune
It carries a faith for stopping a child's night crying.
Ichinomiya Jinja(Tokushima)Shinto shrine / Ichinomiya (first shrine) of Awa Province / Eastern area / Blessings: good harvests
One of the shrines claiming to be first of Awa Province.
Onzanji(Komatsushima)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 18 / Southern area / Blessings: safe childbirth
Said to be where Kukai received his mother. Until then women were barred.
Hinomine Jinja(Komatsushima)Shinto shrine / Southern area / Blessings: safe voyages
It looks out over the Kii Channel.
Byodoji(Anan)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 22 / Southern area / Blessings: warding off misfortune
You climb the men's and women's misfortune slopes to reach the main hall.
Saba Daishi(Kaiyo)Buddhist temple / Southern area / Blessings: road safety
It preserves the custom of saba-dachi, giving up salted mackerel while making a vow.
Ohama(Minami)Utaki (Ryukyuan sacred grove) / Natural Monument / Southern area / Blessings: good catches
A nesting ground for loggerhead turtles. A land that reveres what the sea gives.
Kotohira(Anan)Shinto shrine / Southern area / Blessings: safe voyages
It guards the easternmost cape of Shikoku.
Jintsudaki(Kamiyama)Utaki (Ryukyuan sacred grove) / Eastern area / Blessings: mountain worship
A place of practice along the pilgrim road to Shosanji.
Unpenji(Miyoshi)Buddhist temple / Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage, Temple No. 66 / Western area / Blessings: mountain worship
At 911 metres, the highest of the Shikoku sacred sites, and another pilgrim-breaker.
Hashikuraji(Miyoshi)Buddhist temple / Important Cultural Property / Western area / Blessings: wealth
The main hall and five other buildings are Important Cultural Properties. A ropeway runs up.
Oboke(Miyoshi)Utaki (Ryukyuan sacred grove) / Natural Monument / Western area / Blessings: safe voyages
A gorge cut by the Yoshino river. Small shrines praying for safe passage are dotted along it.
Sightseeing
Breakdown: historic townscape 2, nature / scenery 5, industrial heritage 1, festival / event 1. 13 places to see in Tokushima.
Ai(Aizumi)museum / theatre / Eastern area
Awa indigo carried the blue of Japan. The faith of a land the indigo makers kept.
Udatsu(Mima)historic townscape / Western area / Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings / Preservation District for Traditional Buildings
The firewalls of merchant houses made rich by indigo. The origin of the Japanese phrase about getting on in life.
Kamoda Misaki(Anan)nature / scenery / Southern area
The easternmost point of Shikoku, and a nesting ground for sea turtles.
Awa Odori(Tokushima)festival / event / Eastern area
A Bon dance of more than 400 years. The call goes: fools who dance, fools who watch.
Bizan(Tokushima)nature / scenery / Eastern area
A hill sung of in the Manyoshu, looking down on the city of Tokushima.
Iya Heike(Miyoshi)historic townscape / Western area
A mountain village where the Taira are said to have fled after their defeat at Dannoura.
Iya no Kazurabashi(Miyoshi)industrial heritage / Western area / Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property
A suspension bridge woven from hardy kiwi vine. It is rebuilt every three years.
Naruto no Uzushio(Naruto)other / Eastern area
Among the largest whirlpools in the world. The current reaches 20 kilometres an hour.
Oboke Koboke(Miyoshi)nature / scenery / Western area / Natural Monument / Place of Scenic Beauty
A gorge the Yoshino river took 200 million years to cut. A noted spot for rafting.
Ai no Yakata(Aizumi)museum / theatre / Eastern area
Awa indigo carried the blue of Japan. The house of an indigo maker is open to visitors.
Otsuka Museum(Naruto)museum / theatre / Eastern area / 1998
A thousand masterpieces from around the world, reproduced full size on ceramic panels. You may touch them and take photographs.
Mt. Bizan(Tokushima)nature / scenery / Eastern area
A hill sung of in the Manyoshu. A ropeway takes you up to look down on the city.
Hiwasa Sea Turtle(Minami)nature / scenery / Southern area / Natural Monument
Ohama beach is a nesting ground for loggerhead turtles.
Traditional Crafts
Three crafts hold national designation: Awa washi, Awa shoai shijira weaving, and Otani ware.
Otani ware is known for jars large enough for a person to stand inside. They are made by a technique called the lying-down wheel, in which the potter lies on his back and kicks the wheel with his feet. These jars were used as the vessels for fermenting Awa indigo. The two crafts are not separate: they are one industry.
More: VILLAGE Journal vol.13 — The jar that raises the indigo（リンク先は現在公開されていません）
More from This Prefecture
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Sources: Tokushima Prefecture, City of Tokushima, City of Naruto, Itano Town, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries — Value Village editorial team