Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform in Tokushima, western Japan, on Aug. 15, 2025, the final day of the five-day Awa dance festival.

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform in Tokushima, western Japan, on Aug. 15, 2025, the final day of the five-day Awa dance festival.

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform in Tokushima, western Japan, on Aug. 15, 2025, the final day of the five-day Awa dance festival.

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform in Tokushima, western Japan, on Aug. 12, 2025, the second day of the five-day Awa dance festival.

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform in Tokushima, western Japan, on Aug. 12, 2025, the second day of the five-day Awa dance festival.

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform in Tokushima, western Japan, on Aug. 12, 2025, the second day of the five-day Awa dance festival.

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform in Tokushima, western Japan, on Aug. 12, 2025, the second day of the five-day Awa dance festival.

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform in Tokushima, western Japan, on Aug. 12, 2025, the second day of the five-day Awa dance festival.

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform in Tokushima, western Japan, on Aug. 12, 2025, the second day of the five-day Awa dance festival.

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Awa dance festival in western Japan

Dancers perform on the opening day of the five-day Awa Odori traditional folk dance festival on Aug. 11, 2025, in Tokushima, western Japan.

Awa Dance festival begins in Tokushima

Awa Dance festival begins in Tokushima

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - The annual Awa Dance festival begins in Tokushima Prefecture on Aug. 12 for a four-day run.

'Hina' doll festival in Tokushima, Japan

'Hina' doll festival in Tokushima, Japan

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Some 30,000 dolls are on display during a "hina" doll festival in Katsuura, Tokushima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Feb. 23, 2014, ahead of the Girls' Day festival on March 3. In Japan, hina dolls are traditionally displayed by families with girls to celebrate the "hina-matsuri" festival each spring.

Japanese perform traditional dance at festival in India

Japanese perform traditional dance at festival in India

MUMBAI, India - Members of a Japanese group perform a modified version of "Awaodori," a traditional regional dance of Tokushima, southwestern Japan, on Jan. 18, 2014, during the "Cool Japan Festival" held in Mumbai to introduce Japanese food and culture.

Naruto Strait whirlpools

Naruto Strait whirlpools

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows tourists aboard a ship viewing large whirlpools in the Naruto Strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean on May 3, 2012.

Space card game

Space card game

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - A woman holds ''Messier Cards'' for a card game invented by college students and other space fans in Tokushima Prefecture, at the University of Tokushima in Tokushima City on Nov. 20, 2010.

Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako visit Tokushima

Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako visit Tokushima

TOKYO, Japan - Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako board their plane at Haneda airport in Tokyo on Oct. 26 on their way to Tokushima, Tokushima Prefecture, to attend a national cultural festival. The visit is the princess's first official trip outside Tokyo since late June, when she traveled to Nagano to attend a greenery event.

Some seniors making good money post-retirement

Some seniors making good money post-retirement

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - An elderly woman in Kamikatsu, Tokushima Prefecture, monitors her farm sales by computer.

Dog rescued after 6 days on high concrete slope in Tokushima

Dog rescued after 6 days on high concrete slope in Tokushima

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Two rescue workers try to save a dog stuck for at least six days on a concrete wall used to reinforce a mountain slope in Tokushima on Nov. 22. A local resident spotted the dog trapped around 70 meters up on a ledge on the wall and alerted the local fire department.

Dog rescued after 6 days on high concrete slope in Tokushima

Dog rescued after 6 days on high concrete slope in Tokushima

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - (Left photo) Two rescue workers try to save a dog stuck for at least six days on a concrete wall used to reinforce a mountain slope in Tokushima on Nov. 22. (Right photo) The dog desperately dives into a safety net held by other rescue workers.

Awa Dance festival begins

Awa Dance festival begins

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - The annual Awa Dance festival begins in Tokushima Prefecture on Aug. 12 for a four-day run.

Awa Dance festival begins

Awa Dance festival begins

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - The annual Awa Dance festival begins in Tokushima Prefecture on Aug. 12 for a four-day run.

JAL plane makes emergency landing after pressurization trouble

JAL plane makes emergency landing after pressurization trouble

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - A Japan Airlines Airbus A300 is parked at Tokushima airport after making an emergency landing at the airport late July 23 after oxygen masks were deployed in the cabin due to a malfunction in the aircraft's pressurization equipment. The plane landed safely, but three passengers complained of ear pains after arrival, JAL officials said.

20,000 dolls displayed at Big Doll Festival in Katsuura

20,000 dolls displayed at Big Doll Festival in Katsuura

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Some 20,000 ''hina'' dolls are displayed on a 5.5-meter-high pyramid-style tiered platform at Big Doll Festival in Katsuura, Tokushima Prefecture, on Feb. 20. The festival will run until April 3.

Tokushima's Awa Odori folk dance festival begins

Tokushima's Awa Odori folk dance festival begins

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Colorfully costumed dancers step out to the sound of ''shamisen'' stringed instruments and ''taiko'' drums in the city of Tokushima on Aug. 12, the first day of the annual four-day Awa Odori folk dance festival. More than 950 dance groups involving 100,000 dancers will participate in the festival, which has more than 400 years of history.

Hiroshima peace museum records 50 mil. visitors

Hiroshima peace museum records 50 mil. visitors

HIROSHIMA, Japan - Shigeru Taniguchi (R) from Tokushima, southwestern Japan, becomes the 50 millionth visitor to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima. He was given souvenirs by museum director Minoru Hataguchi (L). The museum, opened in 1955, displays photos and objects related to the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito in Tokushima

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito in Tokushima

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko chat with high school students who support the national inter-high school sports championships logistically in Tokushima, western Japan, on July 28, 2022. The couple attended the opening ceremony of the sport event earlier in the day. (Pool photo)

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito in Tokushima

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito in Tokushima

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko chat with high school students who support the national inter-high school sports championships logistically in Tokushima, western Japan, on July 28, 2022. The couple attended the opening ceremony of the sport event earlier in the day. (Pool photo)

CORRECTED: Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito in Tokushima

CORRECTED: Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito in Tokushima

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko chat with high school students who support the national inter-high school sports championships logistically in Tokushima, western Japan, on July 28, 2022. The couple attended the opening ceremony of the sport event earlier in the day. (Pool photo)