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Iya・Oboke・Ikeda
Are you fed up with the everyday scenery of the city? Then the deep mountain valley of Iya/Oboke is the perfect place for you. Enjoy the slow passing of time in this secluded valley, or a refreshing soak in a hidden hot spring. Raise your voice while enjoying rafting, or enjoy delicious konnyaku or tofu hand-made by the local grandmas. Raise a toast of Ikeda’s local sake, and dig into a special treat of gibier game meat.
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Activities
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Iya Soba Noodle Making & Meal
Enjoy traditional soba noodle making in the midst of Oku-Iya Valley's grand nature! Afterwards, relax and enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal made with local plants. Iya soba is a local dish made from buckwheat flour harvested in the Iya Region. The Iya Region is able to produce good quality buckwheat flour thanks to the temperature differences that occur between daytime and nighttime. Through this activity, experience grinding buckwheat flour on a millstone that has been in use for nearly 80 years. While you're grinding the buckwheat, the kind grandmother will sing a folk song that was sung in the past while this type of work was done. Meals are served in a dining room with a sunken hearth. Enjoy the freshly prepared and boiled soba together with your meal. The taste of soba made using traditional methods that you grinded yourself is truly special! This special experience is something that you can only find here. We look forward to seeing you here in Oku-Iya!
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Explore the Mysterious Iya Valley!【Guided Tour】
Visit the representative sightseeing spots of the Iya Valley via taxi together with a guide! 【Iya Kazurabashi Vine Bridge】 This vine bridge shakes and sways with each step, and is not a spot to be skipped when visiting Iya Valley! Although crossing might be a bit frightening at first, the view of the valley from the bridge is truly stunning, and the view of the river below is sure to get your heart racing. 【Lunch: Iya Bijin】 Since long ago it has been difficult to grow rice in the Iya area, so soba (buckwheat) was grown in its place. As such, "Iya Soba" has become a staple food of the area. At Iya Bijin, you can try these delicious soba noodles for yourselves. 【Hi no Ji Bend】 The Iya Valley offers grand nature that no big city can. The Hi no Ji Bend, named for its likeness to the Japanese character Hi (ひ), changes its face with each passing season. In spring it's a vivid green, in autumn it's dyed with seasonal colors, and in winter it becomes a white landscape. No matter when you visit, the sights are beautiful! 【Peeing Boy Statue】 According to the old folk tales, children used to prove their courage by standing on top of this rock and peeing over the edge of the gorge. Standing 200 m above the river's surface, some people find their feet frozen on this rock! Like the Hi no Ji Bend, the scenery changes with the seasons, and although a bit frightening perhaps, the views are gorgeous. 【Oboke Gorge Sightseeing Cruise + Souvenir Shopping】 Enjoy the emerald green waters and towering rocks of the Oboke Gorge from this sightseeing boat. After riding on the boat, you can enjoy perusing all of the local Iya souvenirs at the connected gift shop. 【Price per Person】 For Groups of 2 - 3: 23,000 Yen For Groups of 1: 38,000 Yen 【Minimum Number of Participants】 1 【Maximum Number of Participants】 3 【Required Time】 Approx. 4 Hours 15 Min. 【Meeting Place】 Oboke Station (For those coming from Tokushima Station, there is a train that departs at 9:00 AM (Arrives at 10:37 AM).)
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Deeper into the Valley! Explore the Mysterious Oku Iya Valley!【Guided Tour】
Visit the representative sightseeing spots of the Oku Iya Valley via taxi together with a guide! 【Tsuzuki Shoten: Iya Soba Making + Lunch】 Since long ago it has been difficult to grow rice in the Iya area, so soba (buckwheat) was grown in its place. As such, "Iya Soba" has become a staple food of the area. At Tsuzuki Shoten, a local, elderly woman will teach you how to properly make Iya Soba. Afterwards, you can enjoy the soba you made by hand along with a lunch comprised of mountain vegetables. 【Oku Iya Double Kazurabashi Vine Bridges】 Often called an unexplored area of Japan, two vine bridges, the male bridge and female bridge, remain here. There are large spaces in-between the bridge steps, so you can completely see the river below you. It's sure to be a thrilling experience! 【Nagoro - The Scarecrow Village】 The village of Nagoro, often called The Scarecrow Village, has more scarecrow residents than human ones! The scarecrows can be seen throughout the village, doing farm work, talking amongst themselves, studying at the school, etc. They are made by one woman who bases them off of people who used to live in the village. As she continued to make more and more scarecrows, the village eventually became quite well-known! 【Ochiai Village Viewing Platform】 This village is settled on the steep slopes of the mountain, and the viewing platform offers a beautiful, sweeping view. It evokes a strong images of Japan's mountainous villages. 【Price per Person】 For Groups of 2 - 3: 29,000 Yen For Groups of 1: 48,000 Yen 【Minimum Number of Participants】 1 【Maximum Number of Participants】 3 【Required Time】 Approx. 6 Hours 35 Min. 【Meeting Place】 Oboke Station (For those coming from Tokushima Station, there is a train that departs at 9:00 AM (Arrives at 10:37 AM).)
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【AO Mitsu no Yume】Aizome Indigo Dyeing
This aizome indigo dyeing workshop is located in the nature-rich mountains of Yamashiro-cho, Miyoshi City. Visitors can enjoy aizome indigo dyeing that makes use of natural dyes. 【Activity Details】 ・Handkerchief: 1,500 Yen ・Tenugui Towel: 2,000 Yen ・Stole (Cotton): 4,000 Yen 【Necessary Time】 ・1 ~ 2 Hours 【Other】 ・Reservations are available for 1 ~ 5 people per group. ・We will provide aprons and rubber gloves, but please wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. 【Workshop Details】 Ao Mitsu no Yume Address: 〒779-5301 Yamatogawa 211-1, Yamashiro-cho, Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture
Recommended Tourism Information
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Iya Vine Bridges
In the secluded area of the Iya Valley lies a vine bridge made from hardy kiwi, which is 45 meters long and 2 meters wide and is 14 meters above the water. The beautiful shape of the bridge is reflected in the clear water of the Iya River that lies below, creating a scene that is in harmony with nature and shows different colors throughout the four seasons. Designated as a National Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property, it is now a popular sightseeing area.
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Oboke Gorge Cruise
The majestic flow of the Yoshinogawa River, which runs through Tokushima Prefecture from west to east, has created beautiful gorges in the valley. The V-shaped valley of the Oboke Gorge, with its steep slopes and rock walls approaching from both banks, has been known as a difficult place to pass through. The rocks on both banks of the Oboke Gorge are said to have been created 200 to 100 million years ago. While listening to the boatman's guide, the boat will take you on an 8-kilometer tour of the canyon, where you can enjoy the magnificent scenery and the mystery of nature.
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