A cruise to Tokushima, Japan delivers extraordinary nature and history. The Awa Odori festival draws over a million to this ancient castle town every August. It is Tokushima’s most famous attraction and the biggest of all the Obon dance festivals. If you miss the fest on your Tokushima cruise, visit Awaodori Kaikan, a year-round museum and performance center. Tokushima city beckons with spectacular scenery. Mt. Bizan, the “Eyebrow Mountain,” arches from the center. Hike or gondola to the top to take in panoramas of distant islands. The Naruto Whirlpools are another mesmerizing sight. Traverse the Uzunomichi Walkway, a glass-bottom observatory over the swirling pools. You can also take a boat tour for a closer look. A two-to-three-hour drive brings you to the enchanting vine bridges and dramatic gorges of the Iya Valley.