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There are three different theories about the origins of the Awa Dance. One is that it is a version of the Bon Odori, a dance performed in summer throughout Japan. Another is that it began from a celebration of the completion of Tokushima Castle when Hachisuka Iemasa provided sake for the townspeople who got drunk and began to dance with abandon. The Awa Dance features organized teams of dancers, which is suggested to have been influenced by "Furyu"-a performing art from the Heian period that later became Noh. The third theory relies on Miyoshi district records from the year 1663 of a Furyu dance at the Shozui Castle, considering this performance to be the origin of the Awa Dance. In the 1920s the dance festival became organized to attract tourism and was named "Awa Odori." Every August 12th to 15th the streets of Tokushima teem with high-spirited folks enjoying a festival atmosphere. ■Awa Odori Dance Festival The Awa Dance is held in the city of Tokushima using the main downtown streets as a stage. It starts in the evening (6:00 p.m.) and the dancing lasts until 10:30 p.m. The main performances are held on outdoor dance stages or strips built in the downtown parks and streets. Seven are on stages, four in plazas, one along road, and three at streetcorner spaces. The Awa Dance is held not only in the city of Tokushima but also in Naruto, Ikeda, Kamojima, Sadamitsu, and other locales in the prefecture. All of Tokushima prefecture catches the summer fever when it comes to Awa Odori.