Did the Japanese dance the Awa in Nanking?

In real life the Japanese danced the Awa Dance in Nanking. The Awa dance is a Japanese dance; Awa is the former name of Tokushima, while Odori is the dance. The origin of Awa Odori dates back more than 400 years. It is held from August 12 to 15 every year. Awa Odori usually consists of dozens of people who form companies and dance in the street as a company. It is usually performed by small groups of men and women who dance in front of each other in a 2-beat rhythm, with the accompanist following at the back, and the musical instruments basically consist of shamisen, taiko (drums), kane (gongs), and yokohama (flute).

Introduction of the Awa Dance

The origin of the Awa Dance has not yet been clearly documented, but it is thought that it was originally modeled after the dances of the spirits, the Seirei Odori and the Nenbutsu Odori, which were used in religious activities.

The common legend says that the Awa Odori dance originated in 1587 when Iemasa Hesuka, the first lord of the Tokushima domain, celebrated the completion of Tokushima Castle by holding a banquet in the castle where the people danced in a drunken stupor, and that the dance evolved into the current Awa Odori dance.

But in official historical research, this is not true. In fact, during the Edo period, the Awa Odori dance was banned for fear that the people would use it to cause disturbances, and there is even a record of a Tokushima feudal lord being punished for dancing the Awa Odori dance in his own home.

After World War II, the Awa Odori dance began to be emphasized as a symbol of the development of local culture in Tokushima, and gradually gained popularity throughout Japan.