Moopon

Kazura Bridge is the type of "bridges" that consists of a wooden cart suspend on a rope over the river, and were used to transport goods and people.
13 suspension bridges made of mountain vines, called kazurabashi, used to be found throughout the Iya Valley and provided a essential means of getting people and goods across the river in olden days.
Two of the surviving bridges still stand side by side deep in the ravine.
They are known as the Oku-Iya Kazurabashi or myoto-bashi(couples bridges).

The larger of the two bridges, Otto no Hashi (meaning:Husband Bridge), stretches 44 meters across the river next to a small waterfall, while the slightly lower Tsuma no Hashi (meaning: Wife Bridge) is a 22 meter span just a little ways upstream.
The bridges are constructed with steel cables covered within the vines for safety.
They are rebuilt every three years. The bridges are connected to each other by a network of paved hiking trails that also lead to camping facilities on the opposite side of the river.

Another popular attraction is a Yaen Bridge (meaning: Wild Monkey) placed next to the Wife Bridge.
It a human-power ropeway. Visitors can try out the wild monkey bridge and pull themselves across the river.

Access infomation
A rental car is recommended to visit the Oku-Iya Kazurabashi Bridges.

1. Nijukazurabashi bus stop.( The nearest bus stop to around the area)
*From Awa Ikeda Station to Kubo, take a bus and transfer to another bus bound for 
Nijukazurabashi or Mount Tsurugi. Get off at the Nijukazurabashi bus stop.
The one way journey will take 2 hours with a cost of 1790 yen. There are only 4 buses a day. Moreover buses from Kubo to the bridge operate only on weekends and holidays from April to November.

Schedule & Cost
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Closed: December to March
Admission: 550 yen
The level of English: Good

The Iya Valley (Iyakei) is a sheltered and private mountainous valley along the Iya River in western Tokushima Prefecture.
Its steep forested slopes are connected to the outside world by a zigzag,sometimes incredibly narrow mountain road that leads the valley.
Since the Iya valley located secluded regions, it is difficult to access, however, that is what attracts visitor to the area who want to experience a traditional, nature. 

Historically the Iya Valley has been difficult a place to enter, and used as a refuge for members of the defeated Taira or Heike Clan who escaped to the region toward the end of the 12th century after losing the Gempei War (1180 to1185).
Their descendants can still be found around the tiny mountain villages that dispersedly existing.

The Iya Valley is usually divided into two areas.
Nishi Iya (West Iya) located around the entrance to the valley and is slightly more developed and more accessible as there are relatively frequent buses to some of the major attractions.
Oku Iya (Inner Iya, also called Higashi Iya or East Iya) lies further back into the valley so is difficult to reach without a rental car or other means of private transportation. 

This region is famous for Iya soba

Access infomation
A rental car is recommended to visit the area.

1. To Nishi Iya (West Iya)
 *From Awa Ikeda Station to Kubo, take a bus and transfer to another bus bound for Nijukazurabashi or Mount Tsurugi.
Get off at the Nijukazurabashi bus stop.
The one way journey will take 2 hours with a cost of 1790 yen.
There are only 4 buses a day.
Moreover buses from Kubo to the bridge operate only on weekends and holidays from April to November.
2. To Oku Iya (Inner Iya)
Rental car stores are available around Oboke and Awa Ikeda Stations.
A rental car is recommended, particularly for visiting the less traveled Oku Iya area.
Note: The roads are very narrow and have frequent blind curves, which make driving both hazardous and slow.

The Iya Valley (祖谷渓谷 Iya Keikoku) region in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan is a scenic area known for its dramatic mountain valleys and old vine bridges.
The Iya Valley and the inner parts of Shikoku have historically been remote and difficult to enter,
making them a favorite retreat for refugees and defeated Heike warriors although access has improved in recent years.

Manikin Peeing Boy Statue
At the edge of this dizzying, 200 meter high cliff stands the boy statue posed as if he were peeing off the ledge down to the valley bellow.
This statue is placed at a beautiful scenic spot a few steps from The Iya ONSEN HOTEL, where local folklore says travelers would climb out to pee off in order to try to act strong or play chicken. 

The Iya Valley is usually divided into two areas.
Nishi Iya (West Iya) located around the entrance to the valley and is slightly more developed and more accessible as there are relatively frequent buses to some of the major attractions.
Oku Iya (Inner Iya, also called Higashi Iya or East Iya) lies further back into the valley so is difficult to reach without a rental car or other means of private transportation. 

The image is Sobamai zosui (buckwheat porridge), which is the local specialties of the Iya region made from dechaffed buckwheat berries in place of rice. 

Access Information
A rental car is recommended to visit the area.

1. To Nishi Iya (West Iya)
 *From Awa Ikeda Station to Kubo, take a bus and transfer to another bus bound for Nijukazurabashi or Mount Tsurugi.
Get off at the Nijukazurabashi bus stop.
The one way journey will take 2 hours with a cost of 1790 yen.
There are only 4 buses a day.
Moreover buses from Kubo to the bridge operate only on weekends and holidays from April to November.
2. To Oku Iya (Inner Iya)
Rental car stores are available around Oboke and Awa Ikeda Stations.
A rental car is recommended, particularly for visiting the less traveled Oku Iya area.
Note: The roads are very narrow and have frequent blind curves, which make driving both hazardous and slow.

The Iya Valley (祖谷渓谷 Iya Keikoku) region in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan is a scenic area known for its dramatic mountain valleys and old vine bridges.
The Iya Valley and the inner parts of Shikoku have historically been remote and difficult to enter, making them a favorite retreat for refugees and defeated Heike warriors although access has improved in recent years.

Shin-Iya Onsen Hotel Kazurabashi 
This hotel is located one of Japan's three major least visited regions.
The sky-high open-air bath is accessed by a cable car. It provides local dishes which are popular amongst guests.
The hotel has three outdoor baths, one for each gender as well as a mixed gender bath in which you can watch nice views out over the Iya Valley.
The baths are found high up on the mountainside above the hotel.
The can be accessed by a short cable car from the main building.

Daytime Hours: 10:00 to 16:00 
Daytime Admission: 1200 yen 
Overnight Stay: from 14,000 yen per person including 2 meals

Food
The image is Local dishes 

The Iya Valley is usually divided into two areas.
Nishi Iya (West Iya) located around the entrance to the valley and is slightly more developed and more accessible as there are relatively frequent buses to some of the major attractions.
Oku Iya (Inner Iya, also called Higashi Iya or East Iya) lies further back into the valley so is difficult to reach without a rental car or other means of private transportation. 

Access Information
A rental car is recommended to visit the area.

1. To Nishi Iya (West Iya)
 *From Awa Ikeda Station to Kubo, take a bus and transfer to another bus bound for Nijukazurabashi or Mount Tsurugi.
Get off at the Nijukazurabashi bus stop.
The one way journey will take 2 hours with a cost of 1790 yen. There are only 4 buses a day.
Moreover buses from Kubo to the bridge operate only on weekends and holidays from April to November.
2. To Oku Iya (Inner Iya)
Rental car stores are available around Oboke and Awa Ikeda Stations.
A rental car is recommended, particularly for visiting the less traveled Oku Iya area.
Note: The roads are very narrow and have frequent blind curves, which make driving both hazardous and slow.

The Iya Valley (祖谷渓谷 Iya Keikoku) region in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan is a scenic area known for its dramatic mountain valleys and old vine bridges.
The Iya Valley and the inner parts of Shikoku have historically been remote and difficult to enter, making them a favorite retreat for refugees and defeated Heike warriors although access has improved in recent years.

Iya Onsen Hotel
The Iya Onsen Hotel is located high up on the steep slope overlooking the Iya Valley.
A notable point in the hotel is that its outdoor hot baths located along the river and you have to take a cable car some 170 meters below the hotel itself. 
The bath water is a lukewarm 39 degrees Celsius.

Daytime Hours: 7:00 to 18:00 (Last entry at 17:00) 
Daytime Admission: 1500 yen (including outdoor bath, indoor bath, and cable car) 
Overnight Stay: from 12,000 yen per person including 2 meals
Level of English: Good English website is available.

Food
The image is Kaiseki ryori (Traditional multi-course Japanese meal), which is used Local products.

The Iya Valley is usually divided into two areas.
Nishi Iya (West Iya) located around the entrance to the valley and is slightly more developed and more accessible as there are relatively frequent buses to some of the major attractions. Oku Iya (Inner Iya, also called Higashi Iya or East Iya) lies further back into the valley so is difficult to reach without a rental car or other means of private transportation. 

Access Information
A rental car is recommended to visit the area.

1. To Nishi Iya (West Iya)
 *From Awa Ikeda Station to Kubo, take a bus and transfer to another bus bound for Nijukazurabashi or Mount Tsurugi.
Get off at the Nijukazurabashi bus stop.
The one way journey will take 2 hours with a cost of 1790 yen. There are only 4 buses a day.
Moreover buses from Kubo to the bridge operate only on weekends and holidays from April to November.
2. To Oku Iya (Inner Iya)
Rental car stores are available around Oboke and Awa Ikeda Stations.
A rental car is recommended, particularly for visiting the less traveled Oku Iya area.
Note: The roads are very narrow and have frequent blind curves, which make driving both hazardous and slow.

Kadoya  one of the art house project

Kadoya was the first art house completed. This nearly 200-year old house was restored using Japanese plaster, smoked cedar board, and traditional tiles. Artworks on display include a LED display set in a pool of water, a window turned into a digital display and an unconventional Japanese scroll painting.

Works:Tatsuo Miyajima
Closed : Mondays  Open on Mondays for national holidays but closed the next day
Hours: 10a.m-4:30p.m
Admission: 410yen

Gokaisho 【碁会所】
Artwork by Suda Yoshihiro

Gokaisho (literally "a meeting place to play go") was built on the site of a gathering place where people came to play go, a type of Japanese chess. A traditionally designed building holds hand carved wooden camellia flowers arranged on the tatami mat floors. The rooms overlook a small garden with real camellia flowers to contrast with the wooden creations.
There is an intriguing contrast between this sculpture and the real camellia outside in the garden.

Yoshihiro Suda
Born in Yamanashi, Japan, Suda lives and works in Tokyo. In 1992, he received his BA in Graphic Design and has exhibited internationally in numerous solo and group shows. Recent museum shows include the Chiba City Museum of Art in 2012, The Manghha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, Krakow, in 2011, Asia Society Museum, New York, and the Contemporary Museum, Honolulu. In 2008 his work was included in Out of the Ordinary at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. His work has been exhibited extensively in group shows in the USA, Japan, Germany, Australia and Quebec

Closed: Mondays  Open on Mondays for national holidays but closed the next day
Hours: 10a.m-4:30p.m
Admission: 410yen

 Haisha【はいしゃ】
Architecture and Artwork by Otake Shinro
Haisha (literally "dentist"), once the home and office of a local dentist, has been completely transformed by artist Shinro Ohtake into a sculptural or graphic artwork some of which can be viewed from different floors of the two storied house. The artworks include a replica of the Statue of Liberty. Otake also designed the I Love You bath house. Dreaming Tongue, the title of the artwork, represents the process of calling to mind a dream from the tastes and aromas of a morsel in one's mouth.

Shinro Ohtake
He is a Japanese artist who was born in Tokyo and lives in Uwajima, Japan. He paints, creates installations and designs record covers and book covers. He has published dozens of books, such as a dream diary, a picture book, essays and art books.

Closed: Mondays  Open on Mondays for national holidays but closed the next day
Hours: 10a.m-4:30p.m
Admission: 410yen

Korean contemporary artist Lee Ufan, who minimalist painter and sculptor artist. On display are large installations made of stone, concrete and huge slabs of iron, besides a number of paintings from earlier in his career.

The museum building was designed by the Japanese architect Ando Tadao, who also designed the other museums on the island, namely the nearby Benesse House and Chichu Art Museum. Like his other works on the island, the Lee Ufan Museum building mixes geometrically shaped strengthened concrete with nature and open spaces that accentuate the artwork displayed within.   

Access info
There are one or two buses per hour from Miyanoura Ferry Terminal via Honmura to the Tsutsujiso bus stop at the east gate of the Benesse House (20 minutes, 100 yen), where it is possible to walk (20 minutes) or take a free shuttle bus (7 minutes) to the Lee Ufan Museum. Alternatively, the museum is about a 2.5 kilometer bicycle ride (15 minutes) or walk (40-50 minutes) from the ferry terminal.
The Lee Ufan Museum is located in between the Benesse House and the Chichu Art Museum and can be reached from each museum in a five minute walk or two minute free shuttle bus ride.   

Schedule & cost                                  
Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from October through February) 
Admission ends 30 minutes prior to closing time
Closed: Mondays (or Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday)
Infrequent irregular closures for maintenance
Admission: 1030 yen

Lying along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea in Kagawa Prefecture is the Takamatsu Castle. This castle, also known as the Tamomo Castle, is one of the few castles built along the water.  The moat of the Takamatsu Castle actually draws directly from the sea.

Built in 1590 by Ikoma Chikamasa, the Ikoma Clan were the original rulers of this castle. Relatives of the Tokugawa Shogun, the Matsudaira Clan overtook the castle 54 years later. The Matsudaira Clan ruled for the rest of the Edo Period.  During the Meiji Period, the castle main keep was torn down.  Currently, there is a strong movement to reconstruct this castle, known as one of the three Great Waterfront Castles in Japan.

Within the castle grounds, there are only a few of the castle’s original buildings.  Originally twenty, only two turrets, the Ushitora Yagura and the Tsukimi Yagura, remain today. Visitors can also see the Asahimon Gate as well as the moats and walls to imagine how glorious Takamatsu castle was in its heyday. The castle garden is well maintained and visitors can appreciate the beauty of Japanese gardens here.

Hiunkaku building lies in the center of the castle park.  With its large tatami mat rooms, this building is used as an exhibition space/community hall.  Tea ceremony and flower arrangement classes are held here.

The hours of entry to the castle vary according to the month.
April to May: 5:50 to 18:30
June to August: 5:30 to 19:00
September: 5:30 to 18:30
October: 6:00 to 17:30
November: 6:30 to 17:00
December to January: 7:00 to 17:00
February: 7:00 to 17:30
March: 6:30 to 18:00
Closed: December 29th to 31st
Admission: 200 yen

Access Information:
Takamatsu Castle is located next to Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station.
It is also a short walk from the JR Takamatsu Station.

Takamatsu Shopping Arcade is the long, covered shopping street from Takamatsu Castle to Ritsurin Koen.  Known in Japanese as a shotengai, these shopping streets consisting of small family businesses were an important part of life in Japan in the past. Said to be the longest covered shopping arcade in Japan, Takamatsu Shopping Arcade is nearly 2.7 kilometer in length.

With the passage of time, more and more shopping arcades in Japan are moving away from small family businesses to large corporate chain stores.  The northern end of the Takamatsu Shopping Arcade (near Takamatsu Castle) was been redeveloped into an upscale shopping plaza with tenants such as Louis Vuitton and Coach.  Hungry visitors best visit Lion Dori, a street running parallel to the main shopping street.  Here visitors will find an array of eateries, including places which serve the local delicacy, Sanuki Udon.

Hours:  varies from store to store.  In general, most stores are opened from 11am to 7pm or so.
Holidays:  varies from store to store.  Many stores are opened every day.  Some stores are closed once a week, typically on a Monday or Wednesday.

Access Information:
From JR Takamatsu Station or Takamatsu Castle, it is a 10 to 15 minute walk. 

Located along the Seto Inland Sea, Sunport Takamatsu is a beautiful, relaxing waterfront promenade that its visitors can enjoy while taking a seaside bicycle ride, tea, or even a business meeting.  

With the opening of the Seto Ohashi Bridge in 1988, Takamatsu Port’s role as the main port of entry into Shikoku changed. Though it still provides ferries to nearby islands such as Shodoshima, Naoshima, Megijima and Ogijima, the utilization of car ferries has drastically declined, requiring a change.  

Thus, Sunport Takamatsu was born. With ANA Hotel Clement, the Symbol Tower and even JR Takamatsu Station in its vicinity, Sunport Takamatsu is a convenient business and shopping center. Symbol Tower is the tallest building in Sunport Takamatsu.  Offices occupy the upper floors with the Maritime Plaza Shopping Center on the lower levels. Visitors can enjoy fine dining here as well.  There are three restaurants in the tower managed by the chefs from the popular television cooking show, Iron Chef.

Access Information:
Sunport Takamatsu is a short walk from JR Takamatsu Station.
It is located across the street from Takamatsu Castle.

Made from a special type of wheat traditionally grown in Kagawa Prefecture, Sanuki Udon has fans not only in its hometown of Takamatsu, but throughout Japan and possibly around the world.  Sanuki Udon was voted as one of Japan’s three most famous types of udon.  The other two type of udon are Mizusawa Udon and Inaiwa Udon. However, Sanuki Udon is better known of the three udons. 

Sanuki Udon has a firm, chewy texture.  This leads to the various ways Sanuki Udon can be served.  Hot in a broth with different topping or chilled with soy sauce it needs to dipped in before eating, Sanuki Udon has many faces. Among the most popular are:
Kake Udon:  Hot broth (soup) over the boiled udon noodles.  Scallions (green onions) is a popular topping.
Zaru Udon:  Boiled udon noodles are cooled with cold water. After water is drained from the noodles, the limp, chilled noodles are served with a small bowl of soy sauce. The noodles are to be dipped in the soy sauce before eaten.

Bukkake Udon: Boiled udon noodles are served in soy sauce (small amount, not a soy sauce soup).  Topping include fried vegetables (tempura), seafood or grated white radish.
Kamaage Udon:  Boiled udon noodles placed in a –usually—wooden bowl to maintain the noodles’ heat.  The noodles are served with a small bowl of soy sauce for the noodles to be dipped in before they are eaten.

Takamatsu City has classes where people can learn how to make Sanuki Udon themselves. The process is not difficult, but involves strength to kneed, roll, and cut.

Sanuki Udon is inexpensive but healthy.  As previously stated, though Sanuki Udon has fans across Japan, its hometown of Takamatsu is probably its biggest fan.  Visitors will find Sanuki Udon to be a common menu item in quite a number of eateries in Takamatsu.

There are so many things to do and enjoy in Shodoshima Island, located in the Seto Inland Sea of the coast of Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku.  From driving along the Shodoshima Skyline to view the gorge near the Monkey Park and Kankakei Gorge to the paying homage to the temples on the Pilgrim Road, visitors could relax, explore, and find themselves.  In addition, visitors may be interested in the Osaka Castle Stones or Angel Road.

Osaka Castle Stones/Michi No Eki
Shodoshima is well known for its quality stones. As a result, stones from the destruction of the Osaka Castle were shipped to Shodoshima to be restored and re-cut for the reconstruction of the Castle. Some of the stones still remain on the island and can be seen on the northeastern tip of the island. 

Visitors interested in stone cutting may wish to visit the former site of a stone cutting workshop.  Though closed now, there are still many unfinished stone pieces remaining for visitors to view. The Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki is another site for people interested in the castle stones to stop by. Michi no Eki literally means a station on the road, and this is a rest area for drivers and passengers.  At the Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki, visitors can visit the museum featuring tools used in the past.  Castle stones are also displayed here as well.

Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki
Hours: 9:00 to 16:30
Closed: December 29th to January 3rd
Admission: Free      
                       
Angel Road
This heavenly named road is truly a thing of wonder. This sandbar located near the Tonosho Port can only be crossed during low tide. Many couples come to this island, hoping to cross the Angel Road as it is said if a couple crosses the sandbar hand-in-hand, they can find true happiness together.  There are people who write their wishes for love on wooden boards (ema) to be hung on a tree here, in hopes their wish will come true.

Senmaida
Literally translated to mean one thousand rice fields, visitors will find hundreds of rice fields embedded into to the hillside on Shodoshima. These rice fields create the illusion of being steps of along a staircase of rice fields ascending to the top of the mountain.  There is an outdoors kabuki stage, as well, in a village nearby. Since the Edo Period, local kabuki plays have been performed here. 

Access Information

Osaka Castle Stone Cutting Workshop
Board the bus from Fukuda Port, Kusakabe Port or Tonosho Port. The workshop ruins are located along the Minamimawari Fukuda bus line (南廻り福田線). Disembark at Iwagatani (岩ケ谷) bus stop.
From Fukuda port, the journey will take 10 minutes with a cost of 380 yen.
From Kusakabe Port, the journey will take 20 minutes with a cost of 390 yen.
From Tonosho Port, the journey will take 50 minutes and 940 yen.
There is one bus every two hours.

Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki
Board the bus from Tonosho Port or Fukuda Port. The Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki is located along the Kitamawari Fukuda bus line (北廻り福田線) and disembark at Omi (小海) bus stop.
From Tonosho Port, the journey will take 25 minutes with a cost of 550 yen.
From Fukuda Port, the journey will take 30 minutes with a cost of 810 yen.
There is one bus every 90 minutes.

Visitors to Kagawa Prefectures in Shikoku, will want to visit Marugame (丸亀),

the second largest city in the Prefecture.


 Marugame is a port city in the western part of Kagawa Prefecture and includes

many of the Shiwaku Islands located in the Seto Inland Sea.  



Many of the Shiwaku Islands are hosts to the famous Setouchi Treiennale,

a contemporary art festival with venues on several of the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. 

 

Marugame has many points of interests for its visitors.


For young visitors, we recommend the New Reoma World,

an amusement park filled with rides and fun for the whole family.


The Marugame Castle, one of the twelve remaining “original” castles of Japan,

was constructed on a hill to “control” the city it governed.


The Mimoca, Marugame Genichiro Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art,

houses fascinating objects and other art pieces.



A famous round fan or uchiwa museum is also in this city.


The people of Marugame originally made these hand-held

round fans for the pilgrims who came to Shikoku to visit the temples. 

 

Visitors can enjoy all the delicious delights this city has to offer.


 From udon, which is famous throughout Kagawa Prefecture to Marugame grilled chicken on the bone,


there is something for everyone here.


Many locals love the sanuki cow which is used as toppings for udon,


or the beef is available in lunchboxes in this region.


Fruits are also popular, with peaches being a favorite.  


 

Visitors will find this city located west of the Seto Ohashi,

the bridge connecting Shikoku to Honshu, fascinating.


In addition to the areas mentioned above,

there are an array of restaurant and shops to explore here.