Koenji Awa Odori 2023: Tokyo’s biggest dance festival
Koenji Awa Odori 2023! Tokyo’s biggest dance festival was back after a four-year break. That pandemic put a brake on many things, and this event was another of them. Anyway, I was happy it was back. Rain threatened early in the afternoon, but it cleared. We had the perfect evening.
How big is the Koenji Awa Odori?
The Koenji Awa Odori is the biggest festival of its type in Tokyo. It attracts 12000 dancers in 65 groups. A crowd of over one million cheers them on. That makes it a mega event. Like the Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa, it’s one of those things you should see at least once in your life!
Do you remember me going to the Shimokitazawa festival a week prior? That was small in comparison. But don’t worry about that. Both events are full of energy. Everyone gives it their best, dancers and crowd alike.
What happens at the Awa Odori?
It’s interesting how the event proceeds. There is a course each group (or ren in Japanese) needs to follow. They start dancing at 5 PM and finish at 8 PM. The police have tight control over everything. It goes like clockwork.
Each group dances from one checkpoint to the next. They bow to the course and walk off at the end. Then they make their way to the next section to dance. That repeats until they circle Koenji. So everyone moves along some big streets and through shopping arcades. It amazes me how smoothly it goes. After all, there are 12000 dancers. Crowd control must be a nightmare!
Maybe we shouldn’t be amazed. This was the 64th Koenji Awa Odori. The event’s organizers have everything down pretty well pat. I’ve been six times and have never seen a problem.
The Koenji Awa Odori photography experience
I found it difficult, much more than the Shimokitazawa’s. Why?
- While the event starts before sunset, the streets aren’t well-lit. High ISOs are needed sooner.
- The Koenji Awa Odori crowd is immense. It’s hard to get through it in places.
- Many people get there early and camp till the start. That makes it hard to get a spot.
- The crowd is huge (didn’t I say that already?). You’ll be photographing through people. Or maybe they will block your shots. Find the gaps.
- The public can enter the road in some places. That means you can photograph the dancers from the front.
Conclusion
The Koenji Awa Odori is awesome. It’s not quite as intimate as Shimokitazawa, but with one million people, what do you expect? But if you like this type of event, you should go. It is the biggest dance festival in Tokyo and tremendous fun. Take your camera and you’ll get great photos.
Koenji Awa Odori 2023 Fujifilm photo gear:
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lenses: Fujinon XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR and XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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