The first major city beyond the Akashi Kaikyo-Ohashi bridge, Tokushima is a small but modern city on the northeast coast of Shikoku. It is best known for the Awa-Odori festival, held during the Obon period in mid-August and sometimes called Japan's Mardi Gras. For three days the city's population explodes — during the day it is quiet, but once dusk comes, thousands of people pour into the streets to drink, dance, and watch the dancing groups called ren. Hotel rooms are impossible to find during the festival, so book well in advance.
Mount Bizan, accessible by ropeway from south of the Yoshino River, offers a panoramic view of the city and coast. At the summit is the Bizan Pagoda, a stupa built as a memorial to Japanese soldiers killed in Burma, along with gardens that are pleasant in warm seasons. At the base of the mountain, the Awa Odori Kaikan has year-round exhibits and performances of the trademark dance for those who cannot visit during the festival itself.
The ruins of Tokushima Castle sit in Tokushima-chuo-koen, northeast of the station, alongside a formal garden (Senshukaku-teien) and a small museum showing what the castle once looked like. About 4 km north of the station, Awa Jurobe Yashiki features displays and live performances of local Bunraku puppetry.
Beyond Tokushima to the north are the famous Naruto Whirlpools, formed by tidal changes in the narrow strait. They are viewable by tour boat or by walking across the Uzu-no-Michi glass walkway. The Naruto Skyline Drive is a scenic road with dramatic views of inlets and fishing villages from its high bridges.