'''Iya Valley''' (_c_J_k_J ''Iya-keikoku'') is a mountain valley deep in the heart of the Japanese island of Shikoku.
Understand
One of Japan's Three Hidden Valleys, Iya was raised into the Japanese and Western consciousness by Alex Kerr_fs book ''Lost Japan'' (ISBN 0864423705), which presented an idyllic picture of a misty valley of thatch-roofed houses, stuck in a time warp to days gone by.
These days, much of Iya has been devoured by what Kerr calls the Moloch, with the silence broken by the sound of jackhammers as multi-lane highways and ghastly concrete hotels sprang up to serve people flocking to see the view. Still, whilst all the rivers have been replaced by the usual concrete channels, and the trees replaced by uniform rows of artificial cedar, some of the less-visited eastern reaches are worth visiting. (For a true taste of a Hidden Valley, Yagen Valley might be a better option.)
The valley can be divided into halves, the more populated and developed '''West Iya''' (___c_J ''Nishi-Iya'') [http://vill.nishiiyayama.tokushima.jp/kanko/], and the more remote '''East Iya''' (___c_J ''Higashi-Iya'' ) [http://www.east-iya.com/], which is also known as '''Oku-Iya''' (___c_J). There are small settlements (many of them abandoned) along the highway connecting the two, but the largest on the east side is the hamlet of '''Mi-no-Koshi''' (___m_z), near Mt. Tsurugi and the intersection of three small highways.
Get in
Getting in no longer requires a week of hiking along misty mountain trails, but remains a little more difficult than most Japanese destinations.
By train
The nearest train station is at Oboke, which is along the JR Dosan Line between Kochi and Takamatsu. The hourly ''Nanpu'' which runs from Okayama (a ''shinkansen'' station) stops here (1 3/4 hours, ¥4410).
From Oboke you can connect to a bus through a tunnel into West Iya, but services are infrequent: there are up to eight buses per day ''on weekends only'' in the high season (April-November), and just four per day the rest of the time.
By bus
There are 7 direct buses daily from Ikeda (_r_c) or Awa Ikeda (___g_r_c_aT), which travel to West Iya either via Oboke (4 daily) or via Iyaguchi (3 daily). See '''Yonkoh''' [http://www.yonkoh.co.jp/timetable.htm] for a timetable, in Japanese only; select "_c_J__" (the Iya Valley line) and then look Awa Ikeda (___g_r_c_aT) or Ikeda station (_r_c_w_O) departure times. Your final destination will be "_c_J__" for Iya Valley or "_c_J_____O" Iya-onsen-mae for Iya Onsen.
By car
If you have your own set of wheels or want to try your luck hitchhiking, Route 438 from Sadamitsu and Route 439 from Anabuki connect directly into East Iya, and offer the fastest route if arriving from Tokushima and Kansai. Note that traffic is very light, especially on weekdays, and the roads are quite narrow and twisty.
Get around
In the valley itself, public transportation is limited to a few buses a day. Car rental or hitchhiking is probably the fastest way of getting around, but hitchhikers beware: even the main highway sees only around three (3) cars per hour on a weekday, and forget it if it's raining.
Yonkoh offers two '''tourist bus''' services [http://www.yonkoh.co.jp/periodi.htm], both starting from Awa Ikeda; the first tours Nishi-Iya, the other tours Higashi-Iya via Oboke, with commentary only in Japanese.
See
Vine bridges
Iya's best-known attractions are the precarious-looking '''vine bridges''' (________ ''kazurabashi''), which used to be the only way to cross the river.
The most popular vine bridge is in '''West Iya''', quite close to the main village. This is a rather large operation and not particularly scary, entrance costs ¥500 and the bridge's operating hours are officially defined as sunrise to sunset.
The more atmospheric '''Oku-Iya vine bridges''' (___c_J___d________) can be found at the eastern end of the valley, before the final ascent to Mi-no-Koshi. There are two of them, namely the '''Husband's Bridge''' (_v____ ''Otto-no-hashi''), the longer, higher up and thus evidently manlier of the two, and on the left the '''Wife's Bridge''' (_w____, ''Tsuma-no-hashi''). These are a bit closer to the Tarzan kind of vine bridge and best avoided if you have a fear of heights, although even here there are steel cables hidden inside the vines. On the other side is an excellent campground (see Sleep) and a beautiful waterfall. Entrance ¥500, but getting here can be a problem as buses usually don't come this far.
Other
Chiiori House. 883-88-5290. info@chiiori.org. ttp://chiiori.org. A mountain-side thatch-roofed, traditional Japanese farmhouse, restored at exorbitant cost and described in loving detail in ''Lost Japan'' by outspoken Japanese-culture conservationist Alex Kerr. Open to visitors, who can work ''and'' contribute to the organization's community revitalization efforts. Run by friendly volunteers, you have to book at least a week in advance to stay overnight, and should contact them for visits of any length. No fixed fees, but a donation is expected.
'''O-Tsurugi Shrine''' (________). Located in Mi-no-Koshi, not far from the Tsurugi chairlift station. It's not very much to look at, but it's traditional to stop here before starting your ascent. The shrine is in fact in three parts, with one in Mi-no-Koshi, one on the trail to the top and one at the very top of the mountain.
Do
'''Hiking''' in the valley, especially the eastern end, is quite popular and there are many trails of various lengths mapped out.
'''Mt. Tsurugi''' (___R ''Tsurugi-san'', also known locally as ''Ken-zan'', 1955m) is the most popular hiking destination and the 2nd tallest in Shikoku (#1 being Mount Ishizuchi). The name may mean "Sword Mountain", but this is a singularly inaccurate description of this gently rounded fell, and you can even take a chairlift up most of the way (¥1000). From the chairlift terminal, it's a half-hour climb to the summit. Alternatively, if you choose to hike up or down the long way (2 hours or so), you can stop at '''O-Tsurugi Shrine''' (________) along the way for a free sip of holy sake and a quaff at a clear mountain spring with drinkable water.
Trails radiate from Tsurugi in a number of directions, one of the most popular being across '''Jirogyu''' and '''Maruishi''' and down directly to the Oku-Iya vine bridges and campground.
'''Miune''' (_O__) is another popular trip, but less crowded than Mt Tsurugi. Locals say it is the best hike to see the autumn foliage. The trail starts at the hamlet of Nagoro and takes about 2.5 hours up. The area is currently the focus of much construction with a hot spring resort, cable car and even a monorail being carved into the mountainside.
Buy
Iya doesn't have even a single chain convenience store, but there are some mom-and-pop type grocery shops in both West Iya and Mi-no-Koshi, and quite a few more souvenir shops. It's best to bring along anything even remotely exotic. You can get good supplies of groceries from Boke-Mart, the local grocery by the station at Oboke.
Eat
West Iya and Mi-no-Koshi have the usual range of rice and noodle joints, all a bit on the expensive side by Japanese standards. Try grilled ''amego'' (a local river fish) at a few hundred yen a pop, sold by little stands here and there.
Many places advertise '''Iya soba''' noodles, but if you've ever been to another mountain in Japan you'll recognize the topping as the same ''sansai'' mountain vegetables served everywhere else.
'''Senkichi''', Nishi-Iya (''a little way up from Hikyo-no-Yu Onsen''). A ''soba'' restaurant easily spotted by the ninja climbing up the outside of the building. Inside it's decorated with rustic style furniture, and even a traditional sunken hearth.
Drink
If you want nightlife, you are in completely the wrong place!
Sleep
Budget
There are no youth hostels in Iya — the nearest are in Oboke and Ikeda, outside the entrance to the valley — but it's an excellent place for '''camping'''.
'''Iya Kazurabashi Camp Village''' (_c_J_________L_____v__ ''Iya kazurabashi kyanpu-mura''). An excellent little campground in West Iya, on the south side of the river a 10-minute walk (mostly uphill) from the vine bridge. ¥500 gets you a patch of grass for the night, with beautiful views of the valley. Toilet facilities and hot water shower are provided. Staying here entitles you to a discount at "Hikkyo no Yu" onsen, bringing the cost down to a more reasonable ¥700. Pick up a discount coupon from the caretaker of the campsite.
'''Oku-Iya Kazurabashi Camping''' (___c_J_________L_____v). A rather basic, but magnificently placed campground located across the Oku-Iya vine bridges at the eastern end of the valley. Entry is ¥300 per person, plus the ¥500 to cross the bridge to the campsite (only once if you stay fore more days). There is a separate cargo pulley system, so you can shift your supplies across the river without carrying them on your back across on the precarious vine bridge. There are only very basic toilet facilities and no showers. You can ask the owner of the Minshuku across the road to use their bathroom for a small fee (about ¥300).
There are no camping facilities in Mi-no-Koshi, but just ask nicely for permission to borrow a patch of lawn from one of ''minshukus'' — and show your gratitude by eating a meal or two there. Alternatively, the nearest official campground is at '''Meoto-no-Ike''' (_v_w___r), 2 easy kilometers up Route 438 with some stunning valley views along the way and the chance to use La Foret Tsurugi's herbal baths (¥500).
Midrange
There are a number of simple ''minshukus'' in West Iya and Mi-no-Koshi, charging ¥6000 and up for a bed.
Splurge
Hikkyo no Yu. _______. 883-87-2300. ttp://www.hotel-hikyounoyu.co.jp/. A large and lavishly appointed ''onsen'' hotel right next to the tunnel entrance to West Iya...but it might as well be anywhere, there aren't really even any valley views. For non-guests, entry into the baths costs a steep ¥1000.
Hotel Iya Onsen. z_e__ _c_J____. 883-75-2311. ttp://www.iyaonsen.co.jp/. About as far away from it all as you can get in Japan, located along a small ravine branching off from the west end of the valley and famous for the cable car that takes guests to the hot spring baths. But there's a price to pay: ¥14000 and up per head, to be precise.
Hotel Kazurabashi. z_e__________. 2 Zentoku, Nishiiyayamason, Miyoshi-gun. 5 min. by bus from Oboke station, 10 min. walk from Kazurabashi vinebridge. 883-87-2171. ttp://www.kazurabashi.co.jp/. yen;15,000 per person with meal. A traditional ''ryokan''. Most guest rooms have mountain views, as does the open-air bath above the hotel (reached with a cable car). Dinner and breakfast are top-end ''kaiseki'' cuisine using local ingredients.
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Get out
The gorges of Oboke and Koboke, with more scenic views and world-class rafting, are just outside West Iya.
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