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.

Emerging from behind a curtain of mountains, to a hot springs oasis is truly Yufuin (由布院), Oita Prefecture, in Kyushu.
It is located near Beppu, another famous hot springs resort in Oita Prefecture.

Visitors may be surprised when they first enter Yufuin.  
Mount Yufu with its twin peaks can be seen from almost every location in town, watching over the town residents.
The walkways with the traditional onsen (hot springs) eateries will be encountered as well as many modern boutiques and cafes.  
Yet, there are horse (with tourists in their carriages) galloping through town. Yufuin is a combination of traditional onsen town meeting the 21st Century.
 

Visitors will find the Yufuin to be easy to explore.
There are walkways throughout the town.
Along the pathway, visitors can see art museums, boutiques and café, with beautiful Lake Kinrinko at the end of the walkway.
There are shops around Lake Kinrinko for visitors to browse as well.
There are rice fields and farm houses off the walkway showing a rural side to this town as well.
 

The lodging, hotels and ryokans (traditional inns) are not in one area, but spread out throughout the town.
Visitors may wish to walk to other ryokans to bath in the onsen (hot springs bath)
there as some ryokans allow non-guests to use their bathing facilities for a nominal fee.



 

Shoya no Yakata is a popular hot springs ryokan (inn) located in Yufuin, a famous hot springs resort in Oita Prefecture.
Shoya no Yakata is located in the northern part of Yufuin, on a hill.
Visitors can see steam clouds emerging from the hot spring sources in this part of Yufuin.
 

Shoya no Yakata is famous for its cobalt blue water.
 The baths are separated by gender.
 Shoya no Yakata has outdoor onsen (hot spring baths), as well as family baths and even a foot bath.
A family bath is a private bath where only member of that family can use the bath.
A nominal fee is charged for the privacy.

Hot Spring Bath Daytime Use Hours:  9：30 to 16:00
Daytime Admission Fee:  800 yen
Price of Overnight Stay including Two Meals:  From 26,000 yen per person



 

Located in the southern part of Yufuin,
a popular hot springs resort in Oita Prefecture, is Saigakukan,
a ryokan (inn) offering its visitors nice sized onsen (hot spring baths)
with views of Mount Yufu.

The onsen are separated by gender and there
are both indoor and outdoor onsens.
The onsen water used at Saigakukan is drawn from two
hot spring sources with different qualities.

The first type moisturizes the skin.
 The other type is a hydrogen carbonate onsen,
which is said to be the “water of beauty.” 

The inn boasts fine dining facilities featuring
the treasures from the mountain and the sea.
Visitors not spending the night at Saigakukan are more than welcomed to enjoy
lunch and a bath for a nominal fee during the onsen’s daytime hours.
 

Hot Spring Bath Daytime Use Hours:10:00 to 16:00 (last entry at 15:00)
Daytime Admission Fee:  620 yen 
Price of Overnight Stay including Two Meals:  From 17,000 yen per person


 

Located within the hot springs prefecture of Oita in Kyushu is the world famous hot springs resort town of Beppu.  
Visitors can experience eight different springs here: Beppu, Kannawa, Myoban,
Kankaiji, Hamawaki, Kamegawa, Horita and Shibaseki.

And, not only is there a variety of springs, there are many different type of baths offered here.
In additional to the conventional indoor and outdoor onsen (hot springs bath),
there are facilities which offer sand baths, steam baths, or mud baths.

Hyotan Onsen in Beppu is the only Michelin 3 star hot springs in Japan.
 Hyotan Onsen is a public bath house which offers steam baths and sand baths in addition
to the conventional indoor and outdoor hot springs baths.

In addition to the eight different, gender separated baths, Taki no Yu, or the Waterfall Bath is quite popular with
its single waterfall stream of hot springs hitting the bather’s shoulder or back, providing warm relief.

Private baths are also available at an hourly charge.
And there is a foot bath for those who would like a small taste of the Hyotan Onsen experience.

The bath house has a rest room for visitors to relax in after their hot bath.
In addition, there is a restaurant serving both local food as well as common Japanese food like tempura or curry rice.

Among the local food is the “Jigoku Mushi Ryori”.
Jigoku Mushi Ryori are local foods steamed from the heat of the hot springs.

Hyotan Onsen has its own original ice cream,
Yura soft—a combination of hot spring jelly mixed with thick vanilla ice.
 

Hours: 9:00 to 1:00am 
Closed: Irregular Holidays 
Admission: 750 yen (560 yen after 6pm)



 

Located within the hot springs prefecture of Oita in Kyushu is the world famous hot springs resort town of Beppu.

Visitors can experience eight different springs here: Beppu, Kannawa, Myoban, Kankaiji,
Hamawaki, Kamegawa, Horita and Shibaseki.

It has eight major geothermal hot spots, sometimes referred to as the "eight hells of Beppu.
They are presented to visitors in a rather touristy fashion, which might not appeal to everyone.

Six of them are located in the Kannawa district and two in the more remote Shibaseki district.

Umi Jigoku
One of the more beautiful hells, the "sea hell" features a pond of boiling, blue water.
In its spacious gardens, there are a few secondary, orange colored hells and a large,
clear water pond with lotus flowers whose big leaves are strong enough to ride small children.
 

Hours:8:00 to 17:00
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: 400yen

 

Located within the hot springs prefecture of Oita in Kyushu is the world famous hot springs resort town of Beppu.

Visitors can experience eight different springs here: Beppu, Kannawa, Myoban, Kankaiji,
Hamawaki, Kamegawa, Horita and Shibaseki.

It has eight major geothermal hot spots, sometimes referred to as the "eight hells of Beppu.
They are presented to visitors in a rather touristy fashion, which might not appeal to everyone.

Six of them are located in the Kannawa district and two in the more remote Shibaseki district.

Oniishi Bozu Jigoku
This hell is named after the mud bubbles, which emerge
from boiling mud pools and look like the shaven heads of monks.
Gray thermal mud at boiling temperature looks like the
bald head of a bouzu or a Buddhist monk.
It is located next to the Umi-jigoku.
There are also foot bath and onsen inside the area

Hours: 8:00 to 17:00
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: 400 yen

 

Located within the hot springs prefecture of Oita in Kyushu is the world famous hot springs resort town of Beppu.

Visitors can experience eight different springs here:
Beppu, Kannawa, Myoban, Kankaiji, Hamawaki, Kamegawa, Horita and Shibaseki.

It has eight major geothermal hot spots, sometimes referred to as the "eight hells of Beppu.
They are presented to visitors in a rather touristy fashion, which might not appeal to everyone.
Six of them are located in the Kannawa district and two in the more remote Shibaseki district.

Kamado Jigoku
The "cooking pot hell" features several boiling ponds and a showy demon statue as cook.
fumarolic activity here used to boil Rice in order to offer to the gods.On the grounds,
visitors can enjoy hand and foot baths, drink the hot spring water,
inhale the hot spring steam and try various snacks cooked or steamed by the hot spring
 

Hours: 8:00 to 17:00
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: 400 yen

 

Located within the hot springs prefecture of Oita in Kyushu is the world famous hot springs resort town of Beppu.

Visitors can experience eight different springs here:
Beppu, Kannawa, Myoban, Kankaiji, Hamawaki, Kamegawa, Horita and Shibaseki.

It has eight major geothermal hot spots, sometimes referred to as the "eight hells of Beppu.
They are presented to visitors in a rather touristy fashion, which might not appeal to everyone.
Six of them are located in the Kannawa district and two in the more remote Shibaseki district.

Yama Jigoku
The "mountain hell" features small ponds of steaming hot water and a small zoo with large animals.
The name of Yama Jigoku (mountain hell) was named after the view with emission of water vapor around the mountain. 

Hours: 8:00 to 17:00
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: 400 yen

 

Located within the hot springs prefecture of Oita in Kyushu is the world famous hot springs resort town of Beppu.

Visitors can experience eight different springs here:
Beppu, Kannawa, Myoban, Kankaiji, Hamawaki, Kamegawa, Horita and Shibaseki.

It has eight major geothermal hot spots, sometimes referred to as the "eight hells of Beppu.
They are presented to visitors in a rather touristy fashion, which might not appeal to everyone.
Six of them are located in the Kannawa district and two in the more remote Shibaseki district.

Chinoike Jigoku
The "blood pond hell" features a pond of hot, red water effected by ferrous Oxide, Magnesium Oxide and etc.
Aluminium Oxide and a large souvenir shop. It is one of the more photogenic of the eight hells.
People in Japan's past named the Onsen Chinoike-jigoku based on an image of hell found in Buddhism.

Hours: 8:00 to 17:00
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: 400 yen


 

Located within the hot springs prefecture of Oita in Kyushu is the world famous hot springs resort town of Beppu.

Visitors can experience eight different springs here:
Beppu, Kannawa, Myoban, Kankaiji, Hamawaki, Kamegawa, Horita and Shibaseki.

It has eight major geothermal hot spots, sometimes referred to as the "eight hells of Beppu.
They are presented to visitors in a rather touristy fashion, which might not appeal to everyone.
Six of them are located in the Kannawa district and two in the more remote Shibaseki district.

Tatsumaki Jigoku
The "spout hell" features a boiling hot geyser with strength to burst over 50 meters.
A stone plate above the geyser prevents it from reaching its full height.
The hot geyser erupts every 30 to 40 minutes for about 6 to10 minutes.
A short walking trail leads up the forested slope in the back of the hell grounds.

Hours: 8:00 to 17:00
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: 400 yen