Awa Odori is popularly believed to have begun in 1587. Lord Hachisuka Iemasa, the daimyo of Awa Province hosted a drunken celebration of the opening of Tokushima Castle. The locals, having consumed a great amount of sake, began to drunkenly weave and stumble back and forth. Others picked up commonly available musical instruments and began to play a simple, rhythmic song, to which the revelers invented lyrics, alternately praising Lord Hachisuka and encouraging others to join the dance - wikipedia
