One Day Iya Valley Itinerary: Beautiful Vine Bridges & Beyond in Shikoku
Are you thinking of visiting Shikoku, Japan? If you enjoy travelling off the beaten path, you absolutely cannot miss visiting this region’s true heart… and my one day Iya Valley itinerary will help you plan your trip!
For a number of years, my heart had been called to this remote location in Tokushima Prefecture. It was the subconscious recharge I didn’t know I needed… To the soothing sounds of the Iya River flowing against boulders and mossy surrounds, I couldn’t help but slow down, breathe deeply and relax under the leafy canopies here.
Pronounced “Ee-yah”, the Iya Valley is home to the rarest bridges in Japan. While there were once thirteen vine structures spanning this picturesque valley in the past, today only three remain.
But there is more to the Iya Valley area than the twisting vine bridges, which I’m about to share with you!
In my Iya Valley itinerary below, I’ll show you how to experience these unique pieces of history for yourself and other interesting spots in the surrounding area. If you’d like to know what to see in the Iya Valley in one day, including where to eat, travel tips, how to get there to make the most of your visit, read on for more!
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One Day Iya Valley Itinerary: The Heart of Shikoku
Public transportation options in the Iya Valley are extremely limited, so I completed my Iya Valley day trip from Kochi with a rental car. It’s the closest major city at only 1 hour drive, but you can also stay in the Iya Valley overnight if you prefer.
TIP: Read my guide to driving in Japan for tourists for everything you need to know about hiring a car for your trip.
Things to do in the Iya Valley
I recommend visiting these places in the Iya Valley in the following order:
Cross the impressive Iya no Kazurabashi Bridge
This is the first vine bridge at a whopping 45m long and 14 metres above the river below. In my opinion, it’s the “scariest” of all the bridges I crossed.
With its origins dating back to the 12th century, Iya no Kazurabashi Bridge is an Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property.
TIP: Be sure to secure all your valuables and gloves before crossing. The man at the ticket window cautioned that if anything falls down into the river, we’re not getting it back!
Iya no Kazurabashi is the primary focus of some bus day trips in the Iya Valley, so at times tour groups can arrive at once. The plus side is they hurry over the bridge together and move on.
TIP: If there are tour groups, hang back and allow them to cross first so you can take your time and get photos without anyone on the bridge.
NOTE: Parking costs 300 yen, and to cross the bridge is 550 yen. It’s one way so there’s no sneaking across!
It’s refreshing to walk beneath the bridge and step onto the large boulders for some photos. Don’t miss the lovely nearby waterfall and walking path.
Pick up some local snacks at Kazurabashi Yumebutai
Opposite the large parking lot for Iya no Kazurabashi bridge, this rest stop and market covered market sells all kinds of specialties from Tokushima Prefecture.
I bought some Naruto salt potato chips, but they just tasted like any other salty kind.
There is also a gallery with explanations of how the vine bridges are maintained, which is quite interesting.
Admire the views from the National Heritage Area Ochiai Village Observatory
En route to the next vine bridge, enjoy the valley views over remote Ochiai Village sprawling almost 400 meters up the mountainside.
Dating back to the mid-Edo Period (1603 – 1868) with some thatched buildings in original condition, little seems to have changed over the centuries!
TIP: It’s possible to spend an overnight in one of 8 thatched houses, more on this down the page.
Enjoy local flavours over lunch at Kouzanka
This humble restaurant is run by a lovely elderly couple, specialising in home-made dishes.
I was so happy to devour their incredible tonkatsu set, it was one of the most delicious meals I enjoyed during my Shikoku trip!
TIP: There are no other food or konbini options in this area, so I recommend stopping by for an early lunch.
Pass by Nagoro Scarecrow Village
Also known as Kakashi no Sato, over 300 life-sized yet friendly scarecrows populate this shrinking village. There are 10x more scarecrows than the number of people here.
This quirky attraction is heartwarming yet a little sad as it highlights Japan’s aging population. The artist Tsukimi Ayano created each scarecrow based on an individual resident she once knew to bring life back into the village. It’s free to enter.
TIP: Parts of the road to get here are quite narrow, only allowing for one car to pass through at a time. You may need to reverse or pull over into a passing bay at times, drive slowly and take care.
Navigate the Oku-Iya Double Vine Bridges
Also known as Oku-Iya Niju-Kazura Bridges, these two are named the Male (12 metres high) and Female bridges, 12 metres high and 4 metres high, respectively. It costs 550 yen per person to access them both.
The origins of these two date back 800 years, and there are picnic tables overlooking them to enjoy a break beside the river. The wooden rope-pulled cart over the Iya River was out of action during my visit.
The smaller Female bridge was the least intimidating of the three I crossed, I took some photos of the vines close-up and enjoyed the stroll over. The others demanded more of my focus, hehe.
During autumn here, I could imagine the red maple leave contrasting the vibrant turquoise water upstream would be such a delight.
Drop by the Statue of a Peeing Boy
If you have time, take a small detour to see this cheeky sculpture relieving himself over the valley on the way back to Kochi.
Reminiscent of the Manekin Pis statue in Brussels, this little guy is just a reminder that boys are the same anywhere in the world!
Optional: Visit Obuke Gorge & other activities
I ran out of time to visit Obuke Gorge during my visit. If you prefer to omit a stop in this Iya Valley itinerary, feel free to switch it for a scenic boat trip around the gorge and the Iya River.
Autumn is the most popular time to visit Obuke Gorge to enjoy red hues cascading down the cliffsides, but spring and summer would be equally as lovely!
- This day trip to the Iya Valley includes Obuke Gorge →
- Yoshino River Rafting on Kobuke course, the most rapid in Japan →
- 1 day Yoshino River rafting course →
How to get to the Iya Valley map
The Iya Valley is located in Tokushima Prefecture. Of Shikoku’s major cities of Matsuyama, Kochi, Takamatsu and Tokushima, by car Kochi is the closest for an Iya Valley day trip.
- Kochi to Iya Valley – 1 hour 20 mins by car
- Tokushima to Iya Valley – 1 hour 45 mins by car
- Takamatsu to Iya Valley – 2 hours by car
- Matsuyama to Iya Valley – 2 hours 15 mins by car.
Input “Iya no Kazurabashi Bridge” into Google Maps to navigate to the first bridge, or 藤蔓橋夢舞台 駐車場 for the large parking lot opposite Kazurabashi Yotembei. From the parking lot you can’t miss the bridge as you walk down the hill.
Where to stay in the Iya Valley Shikoku
If you’d like to stay overnight, here are some Iya Valley accommodation options:
Where to stay in the Iya Valley itself
Miyoshi is the closest area to the Iya Valley to stay. While I didn’t spend the night, you can look into these highly-reviewed options:
- Hotel Kazurabashi →
- Sunriver Obuke →
- RIVIERA Iya Valley →
- Traditional farmhouses, guesthouses, cabins, mountain huts & campgrounds →
Where to stay in Kochi
Kochi has the most options for accommodation in the greater area, which is ultimately why I decided to stay there and day trip to Iya Valley. I definitely recommend Kochi Hotel Sunrise, it was in such a great location near eateries, sights and shops, with parking within the building. Staff were very friendly and helpful.
Concluding this Iya Valley day trip itinerary
That’s a wrap for my guide to Iya Valley Japan! I’d have to say visiting the Iya Valley is one of the most fun things to do in Tokushima Prefecture, even if you are cautious of heights.
The gorgeous Iya Valley allows us to enjoy a more offbeat experience in Japan by crossing vine bridges (or admiring them from further away), tasting authentic flavours, and learning local stories immortilised through scarecrows, all while being surrounded by stunning natural scenery.
As the Shikoku Region is the least-visited area in Japan, the best part is the promise of little to no crowds!
Learn how to incorporate the Iya Valley into your overall itinerary for Shikoku, or find more Japan trip ideas packed with offbeat inspiration and authentic Japanese experiences:
- Izu Peninsula Itinerary
- Onsen & Hotels in the Izu Peninsula: Where to Stay
- One Week in Japan’s Tokai Region Itinerary
- Things to Do in Okinawa
- 10 Day Kyushu Itinerary
- Hokkaido Winter Itinerary
- And much more on my extensive Japan travel blog covering 70% of the country!
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Until next time,
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