In Photos: West Japan city's Awa Odori dancers entertain local audiences after virus hiatus

Dancers wearing face shields perform on Aug. 12, 2021, ahead of the Awa Odori dance festival's main events in the city of Tokushima. The dances are being held on hall stages for the first time as part of coronavirus prevention measures. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)

An Awa Odori dance festival performance is held on a hall stage for the first time as part of coronavirus prevention measures, in the city of Tokushima on Aug. 12, 2021, the day before the main event. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)

Events ahead of the Awa Odori dance festival's start for the first time in two years are seen in the city of Tokushima on Aug. 12, 2021. Dancers on a hall stage performed to audience members in spaced-out seats. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)

Events ahead of the Awa Odori dance festival's start for the first time in two years are seen in the city of Tokushima on Aug. 12, 2021. Dancers on a hall stage performed to audience members in spaced-out seats. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)

An Awa Odori dance festival performance is held on a hall stage for the first time as part of coronavirus prevention measures, in the city of Tokushima on Aug. 12, 2021, the day before the main event. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)

An Awa Odori dance festival performance is held on a hall stage for the first time as part of coronavirus prevention measures, in the city of Tokushima on Aug. 12, 2021, the day before the main event. Some dancers wore face shields. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)

A dancer wearing a face shield performs on Aug. 12, 2021, the eve of the Awa Odori dance festival's main events in the city of Tokushima. Performances were held on a hall stage for the first time as part of coronavirus prevention measures. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)

An Awa Odori dance festival performance is held on a hall stage for the first time as part of coronavirus prevention measures, in the city of Tokushima on Aug. 12, 2021, the day before the main events. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)

Socially-distanced audiences watch Awa Odori dancers on stage in the city of Tokushima on Aug. 12, 2021. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)

Awa Odori dance festival staff disinfect audience seating in the city of Tokushima on Aug. 12, 2021. (Mainichi/Naohiro Yamada)