It is believed that the Ai merchants who gained enormous wealth from the sale of Awa Ai refined the Awa Odori dance from an unconventional and riotous amusement parlor performance danced in the Tokushima red-light district into a sophisticated dance, and that the Ai merchant’s advancement into the Osaka market also encouraged the exchange of Kamigata culture and influenced the rhythm of the Awa Odori dance. The Awa Odori dance is a local performing art that has been fostered by the history and culture of Tokushima.