Tokushima, situated in the southeastern part of Shikoku Island, has a moderate climate throughout the year, with a heavy rainfall. It has ranges of steep mountains including Mt. Tsurugi, peak of the Tsurugi mountain range that go across the central part of the prefecture. About 80% of Tokushima is covered with mountains.

Tokushima is rich in tangible and intangible cultural assets that strongly preserve time-honored traditions: the more than 400-year-old Awa Odori dance is a representative annual summer festival; Awa Ningyo Joruri, puppet theater performed outdoors in farm villages; and Shikoku pilgrimage to 88 Buddhist temples tracing the footsteps of Kukai, high priest in the early 9th century. Rows of specially-roofed attest to Tokushima’s past prosperity as a production center of indigo plant and leaf tobacco.

Tokushima has an active production of vegetables that are supplied to Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. Particularly well known as a producer of sudachi and lotus roots, Tokushima has developed some products, such as sweet potatoes, Naruto Kintoki, into brands that are highly regarded across Japan. Its marine product industry is well known for Naruto seaweed and cultured sweetfish. In the manufacturing industry, Tokushima has the world’s highest output of LED (light-emitting diode).

Tokushima’s major sightseeing spots include the Yoshino River, which formed with its abundant flow deep valleys at its upper reaches, scenic ravines such as Ohboke, Koboke and Iya, perfected over 200 million years. The whirling current of Naruto in the Naruto Straits, where the Seto Inland Sea and Kii Channel meet, is also a representative tourist attraction of Tokushima. Tokushima received over 1 million tourists each year during the period of its traditional summer festival Awa Odori (dance).