Illegal filming shadows Japan's 400-year-old Awa Odori festival

Female dancers at Japan's Awa Odori festival are speaking out about illegal filming ahead of this year's event in Tokushima Prefecture, as some audience members upload footage zooming in on specific body parts — rather than the dancing itself — to social media, prompting organizers to take action.

Searches for Awa Odori on major platforms including TikTok and Instagram turn up numerous videos zooming in on specific body parts of female dancers, such as their buttocks, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun on Monday.

The videos have drawn comments that sexually objectify the dancers, including remarks such as "an indescribable, subtle sexiness" and "the lines are what matter," the report said.

Awa Odori is a traditional group dance with roughly 400 years of history in Tokushima and is considered one of Japan's most iconic summer festivals. "Awa" is an old name for Tokushima, while "odori" means dance. The heart of the festival is the choreographed procession performed by its dancers.

Male dancers are known for powerful, comedic movements, while female dancers perform with precise, graceful steps. In recent years, however, videos highlighting female dancers' bodies — rather than the festival or the dancing itself — have proliferated online, drawing growing concern.

According to the report, a 32-year-old dancer identified only as A was shocked to discover a video of herself practicing on TikTok. Rather than capturing the full dance, the footage focused closely on the outline of her underwear visible through her practice clothes.

The video surpassed 1 million views, and the comments were dominated not by assessments of the dancing but by remarks about her appearance and figure.

"I feel sad and uncomfortable," she said.

Since then, she has taken to wearing dark-colored clothing to prevent her underwear from showing through, and layers her clothes even in the sweltering heat. "Every year there's just more to worry about," she said.

An official from Ahouren, a troupe of about 150 dancers, said the problem is growing. "Recently, videos aimed at generating sexual interest have increased compared to dance videos," the official said. "There are many clips that crop out specific body parts or use them as thumbnails to drive up view counts."

As the controversy grew, festival organizers posted guidelines on their website asking attendees to observe proper filming etiquette. They are also considering reporting the most egregious cases to police.

Festival executive committee chair Shono Koji said organizers want people to enjoy Awa Odori freely, but that ensuring dancers can perform in a safe and secure environment is the top priority.

This year's Awa Odori runs from Tuesday through Sept. 5.

Experts say that even where filming at festival venues is permitted, it must not be used to sexually consume others' bodies or to highlight specific body parts without consent. There are growing concerns that if the objectifying filming of dancers continues beyond the purpose of watching and documenting traditional culture, it could chill both the safety of festival participants and their freedom of expression.