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10 Secrets You'll Want to Experience in Oboke and Iya
Deep within the Shikoku mountains, there is Oboke and Iya. This place is a secluded village surrounded by deep mountains and valleys, and Iya is, alongside Shirakawa-go and Shiiba Village, one of Japan's 3 most mysterious lands. Here we will introduce to you the strange charm of the mystical lands of Oboke and Iya, where you can feel for yourself the dynamic natural scenery of the forest and valley, and see the old fashioned ways of life of Japan's mountain villages.
The gorges Oboke and Koboke are a landscape created by the great wilderness over the course of approximately 200 million to 100 million years. The rugged, dynamic rock surface, and clear, emerald green river water express themselves differently in every season. Enjoy the beauty of the gorges on sightseeing boats, and through kayaking.
Address: 1520 Nishiu, Yamashiro-cho, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
What image do you have when you think of Japan's spring flowers?
Many people probably think of cherry blossoms and wisteria. Here in Iya, however, there bloom the elusive lady slippers, known in Japan as "kumagaiso." These lady slippers are a precious plant, thought to be in danger of extinction in Japan. In the Kazurabashi Sansoen ('Kazurabashi Mountain Flower Orchard'), these precious lady slippers grow in droves. They are the most beautiful beginning late April.
Address: Nishi-Iyayamason, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
Operating Period: May 1st ~ end of May
At the top of a cliff 220m high is a statue of a boy peeing. A long time ago, this place was utilized by children and travelers as a test of courage, and beyond the edge of the cliff, the valley is so deep as to take your breath away. This is a place that can be enjoyed not only in the spring and summer, when the leaves are green and tender, but also in the fall, when the changing leaves provide a beautiful view.
Address: Matsuo, Ikeda-cho, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
The "Iya-no-Kazura Bashi," woven from the rare plant shirakuchikazura (a type of vine plant), is a suspension bridge that sways and makes noise every time you take a step. From the cracks between the slats at your feet, you can see the river 14m underneath you--a truly thrilling experience. At night it is lit up, so you can also see a different, more magical side of the bridge. Every 3 years, this bridge is re-built at the hands of craftsmen.
Address: 162-2 Zentoku, Nishi-Iyayamason, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
The Oboke-Iya Hot Springs boasts outdoor hot springs that you can go to on an exclusive cable car, where you can enjoy the true charm of this secluded area and the changing leaves of autumn. There are various outdoor hot springs, like one with a magnificent view of the Iyagawa River running all the way down to the valley floor 180m below, and an outdoor hot spring "in the heaven," high enough for a glorious view of the whole area.
四国の秘境 大歩危・祖谷温泉郷／大歩危・祖谷いってみる会
Website: http://oboke-iya.jp/en/
Hirarayaki(ひらら焼), a dish unique to this area, is made using a heated stone as a frying pan. "Hirara" means "flat stone." It is a dish often used to welcome guests, made by first making a dote (a circle with a pool in the middle) with miso and simmering in it various ingredients like the freshwater fish amego ('red spotted masu trout') , tofu, and Iya potatoes. The smell of cooked miso stirs the appetite.
Haretoke Design Sha is a cafe & guest house housed in a closed-down school at the entrance of Iya. You can enjoy their specialty French cakes and pizzas out on the wooden deck in the courtyard. Coffee is roasted carefully by hand roaster 300 g, roasting using a mesh 200 g each.The hostel is a dormitory, with movable beds that your group can arrange however you want before you sleep.
Address: Former Deai elementary school, 15 Ori Onishi, Ikeda-cho, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
Website: http://haretoke-d.jp/
A Leisurely, Therapeutic Ride Through the Wilderness
Enjoy a leisurely, therapeutic ride through the wilderness on this monorail, the longest for sightseeing in the world, spanning 4.6km, with 590m of variation in altitude, a 40 degree slope at its steepest point, and 1380m elevation at its highest point. The monorail moves through the forest for 65 minutes. You must reserve in advance to be able to ride.
Address: 28 Sugeoi, Higashi-Iya, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
Website: http://www.miyoshinavi.jp/english/02miru/detail.php?uid=SS000075
ⓒ水木プロ
There are over 150 pieces of yokai (妖怪 / Japanese folk monster) lore remaining in Yamashiro-cho, Miyoshi-shi. Konaki jiji(児啼爺) ー Yokai that looks like an old man but cries with the voice of a baby, famous in Japan, is too a yokai borne of Yamashiro-cho Oboke, and a stone statue of it resides along the Fujikawatani Valley. There are many wooden yokai monuments placed all around this village of yokai.
Fusuma karakuri (襖からくり) ー 'sliding door tricks' is a type of performance art that has long been performed in Nishi-Iyayamason, Miyoshi-shi at events like the autumn festival. The skill required for this kind of show, in which hand-drawn sliding door paintings are moved with strings in the background of traditional Japanese puppet shows, traditional theater, and the like, is marvelous. The performances that unfold in the forest at night, by the light of a bonfire, are truly magical.
An area deep in the mountains of Shikoku, Oboke/Iya is home to strange legends and mystical, beautiful landscapes. Every season, there is a new way to experience and enjoy this area. Come visit to experience the secluded, great wilderness and culture.
Going down the Yoshinogawa River, which looks almost like art
The gorges Oboke and Koboke are a landscape created by the great wilderness over the course of approximately 200 million to 100 million years. The rugged, dynamic rock surface, and clear, emerald green river water express themselves differently in every season. Enjoy the beauty of the gorges on sightseeing boats, and through kayaking.
Information
Oboke Ravine Pleasure Boat | 大歩危峡観光遊覧船Address: 1520 Nishiu, Yamashiro-cho, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
Legendary Flowers Mountain Where the Lady Slippers Bloom Profusely
What image do you have when you think of Japan's spring flowers?
Many people probably think of cherry blossoms and wisteria. Here in Iya, however, there bloom the elusive lady slippers, known in Japan as "kumagaiso." These lady slippers are a precious plant, thought to be in danger of extinction in Japan. In the Kazurabashi Sansoen ('Kazurabashi Mountain Flower Orchard'), these precious lady slippers grow in droves. They are the most beautiful beginning late April.
Information
Kazurabashi Sansoen | かずら橋山草園Address: Nishi-Iyayamason, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
Operating Period: May 1st ~ end of May
Cliff Where a Peeing Boy Stands
At the top of a cliff 220m high is a statue of a boy peeing. A long time ago, this place was utilized by children and travelers as a test of courage, and beyond the edge of the cliff, the valley is so deep as to take your breath away. This is a place that can be enjoyed not only in the spring and summer, when the leaves are green and tender, but also in the fall, when the changing leaves provide a beautiful view.
Information
Iya Valley the Statue of the Peeing Boy | 祖谷渓の小便小僧像Address: Matsuo, Ikeda-cho, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
Swaying Suspension Bridge Woven from Plants
The "Iya-no-Kazura Bashi," woven from the rare plant shirakuchikazura (a type of vine plant), is a suspension bridge that sways and makes noise every time you take a step. From the cracks between the slats at your feet, you can see the river 14m underneath you--a truly thrilling experience. At night it is lit up, so you can also see a different, more magical side of the bridge. Every 3 years, this bridge is re-built at the hands of craftsmen.
Information
Iya-no-Kazura Bashi | 祖谷のかずら橋Address: 162-2 Zentoku, Nishi-Iyayamason, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
Hot Spring Accessible by Designated Cable Car
The Oboke-Iya Hot Springs boasts outdoor hot springs that you can go to on an exclusive cable car, where you can enjoy the true charm of this secluded area and the changing leaves of autumn. There are various outdoor hot springs, like one with a magnificent view of the Iyagawa River running all the way down to the valley floor 180m below, and an outdoor hot spring "in the heaven," high enough for a glorious view of the whole area.
Information
Secluded Area of Shikoku Oboke-Iya Hot Springs / Oboke-Iya Ittemirukai四国の秘境 大歩危・祖谷温泉郷／大歩危・祖谷いってみる会
Website: http://oboke-iya.jp/en/
Savor Local Flood that is Cooked on Stone
Hirarayaki(ひらら焼), a dish unique to this area, is made using a heated stone as a frying pan. "Hirara" means "flat stone." It is a dish often used to welcome guests, made by first making a dote (a circle with a pool in the middle) with miso and simmering in it various ingredients like the freshwater fish amego ('red spotted masu trout') , tofu, and Iya potatoes. The smell of cooked miso stirs the appetite.
Savor Fresh-from-the-Oven Pizza at a Cafe in a Closed-down School
Haretoke Design Sha is a cafe & guest house housed in a closed-down school at the entrance of Iya. You can enjoy their specialty French cakes and pizzas out on the wooden deck in the courtyard. Coffee is roasted carefully by hand roaster 300 g, roasting using a mesh 200 g each.The hostel is a dormitory, with movable beds that your group can arrange however you want before you sleep.
Information
Haretoke Design Sha | ハレとケデザイン舎Address: Former Deai elementary school, 15 Ori Onishi, Ikeda-cho, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
Website: http://haretoke-d.jp/
A Leisurely, Therapeutic Ride Through the Wilderness
Longest Sightseeing Monorail in the World
Enjoy a leisurely, therapeutic ride through the wilderness on this monorail, the longest for sightseeing in the world, spanning 4.6km, with 590m of variation in altitude, a 40 degree slope at its steepest point, and 1380m elevation at its highest point. The monorail moves through the forest for 65 minutes. You must reserve in advance to be able to ride.
Information
Okuiya-Kanko-Shuyu-Monorail | 奥祖谷観光周遊モノレールAddress: 28 Sugeoi, Higashi-Iya, Miyoshi-shi, Tokushima Prefecture
Website: http://www.miyoshinavi.jp/english/02miru/detail.php?uid=SS000075
"Village of Yokai," where Yokai Live?!
There are over 150 pieces of yokai (妖怪 / Japanese folk monster) lore remaining in Yamashiro-cho, Miyoshi-shi. Konaki jiji(児啼爺) ー Yokai that looks like an old man but cries with the voice of a baby, famous in Japan, is too a yokai borne of Yamashiro-cho Oboke, and a stone statue of it resides along the Fujikawatani Valley. There are many wooden yokai monuments placed all around this village of yokai.
A "Fusuma Karakuri" Stage, Controlled Skillfully in the Background
Fusuma karakuri (襖からくり) ー 'sliding door tricks' is a type of performance art that has long been performed in Nishi-Iyayamason, Miyoshi-shi at events like the autumn festival. The skill required for this kind of show, in which hand-drawn sliding door paintings are moved with strings in the background of traditional Japanese puppet shows, traditional theater, and the like, is marvelous. The performances that unfold in the forest at night, by the light of a bonfire, are truly magical.
An area deep in the mountains of Shikoku, Oboke/Iya is home to strange legends and mystical, beautiful landscapes. Every season, there is a new way to experience and enjoy this area. Come visit to experience the secluded, great wilderness and culture.
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THIS ARTICLE IS BASED ON INFORMATION FROM 03 23,2017 Author：DiGJAPAN! Editorial Team
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