Tokushima
Pilgrimage temples 1-23 (awakening phase), Edo indigo trade capital, Awa Odori draws 1M+ visitors. 2026: multi-hook tourism sustaining rural economy.
Tokushima exists at the pilgrimage's beginning. Temples 1-23 of the 88-temple Shikoku circuit fall within this prefecture—the "awakening" phase of the spiritual journey. Pilgrims start here, often at Temple 1 (Ryozen-ji), and the infrastructure of rest houses, stamping stations, and lodges evolved to serve their needs.
Beyond pilgrimage, Tokushima's identity was forged in the indigo trade. During the Edo period, Tokushima dominated Japan's indigo dye production along the Yoshino River. The distinctive deep blue—Japan Blue—colored samurai hakama, merchant clothes, and eventually inspired denim worldwide. The techniques persist in artisan workshops, now serving global fashion rather than domestic demand.
The Awa Odori dance festival, held every August, draws over a million visitors to watch synchronized dancing through Tokushima City streets. "The dancing fools and watching fools are all fools alike, so why not dance?" goes the refrain. The festival may be Japan's largest, competing with Aomori's Nebuta. By 2026, Tokushima's combination of pilgrimage infrastructure, indigo craft heritage, and festival tradition offers a template for rural Japanese survival: multiple tourism hooks, each reinforcing the others. The prefecture that begins journeys may find its own path forward.