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.

Miyako Island (Miyakojima), located 300 kilometers south of Okinawa Main Island,
is known for some of Japan's best beaches and as a great destination for diving and snorkeling in the coral reefs.
The subtropical climate provides mild weather all year around.

The Beaches of Miyako Island
There are picturesque sand beaches for swimming and relaxing.
While the beaches are open year round.
Best enjoyable months are from April to November when the air temperature consistently tops 25 degrees and the water is very warm.

Yoshino Beach (Yoshino Kaigan)
It is the best beach on Miyako for snorkeling.
Schools of colorful fish surround you as soon as you enter the water.
And you will soon find the maze of a spectacular coral reef with an abundance of marine life.
Beach facilities include showers, toilets and a rental shop.

Access Information:
Miyako Island is a relatively small island, measuring about 25 kilometers from south to north and about 15 kilometers from east to west.
A rental car is the most convenient means of getting around Miyako.


 

Okinawa World is Okinawa Prefecture's foremost theme park and presents the local history, culture and nature.
The park's has many attractions, such as massive natural cave, a craft village and a snake museum.

Gyokusendo
It is one of the main attractions in the park.
With a total length of five kilometers, the Cave is the longest of the many caves in the south of Okinawa
Island and the second longest cave in the entire country.
890 meters of the cave are open to the public and feature spectacular stalactites and stalagmites.
The inside of the cave is well maintained and the walking paths are comfortable.

Kingdom Village
It is a nice replica of a traditional Ryukyu village with workshops introducing the various traditional Okinawan crafts,
such as dyeing, weaving, paper making, pottery, sugar cone processing, the making of music instruments and glass blowing.
Hands-on experiences are offered at many of the workshops.

Habu Park
It was named after the infamous, poisonous, local Habu snake.
Habu park consists of a snake museum, a small, run down zoological garden with some snakes on display and a snake show.
Throughout the park, visitors have ample of opportunities to purchase local products at numerous souvenir shops.
There is also a restaurant specialized in Okinawa cuisine.

Facility Information:
Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 (last entry at17:00)
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: 1650 yen (all attractions)
1240 yen (cave and village only)
620 yen (village only)
620 yen (Habu Park only)

Access Infromation
Okinawa World is near the southern tip of Okinawa Honto, about ten kilometers south of Naha.

From Naha Bus Center, board bus number 83 all the way to its terminal stop,
Gyokusendo-mae, which is located in front of Okinawa World (60 minutes, 580 yen, one bus every 1-2 hours). 

 

Sefa-utaki (斎場御嶽) is an historical sacred space and important site of the indigenous Okinawan religion,
which, similar to Shinto, places emphasis on the worship of nature.

The site is located on a densely forested hillside along the ocean and features several rock formations,
which are connected with each other by walking trails. 

It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu in Nanjō, Okinawa.

In the early 16 th century, Sefa Utaki came into prominence.
During this period the Okinawan religion permeated under the royal government,
and Sefa Utaki became one of the main locations for religious ceremonies and rituals. 

Facility Information:
Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 (last entry at 17:30)
Closed: December 29th to January 3rd
Admission: 200 yen

Access Information:
Sefa Utaki is located on the southeastern side of Okinawa Honto, about 15 kilometers from Naha.

Via bus
From Naha Bus Terminal board bus number 38 to Sefa Utaki-mae (斎場御嶽前, 60 minutes, 830 yen, 1-2 buses/hour),
from where the site can be reached in a 5-10 minute walk.


 

Miyako Island (Miyakojima), located 300 kilometers south of Okinawa Main Island,
is known for some of Japan's best beaches and as a great destination for diving and snorkeling in the coral reefs.

The island is the fourth largest island in Okinawa Prefecture.
It is mostly covered by sugar cane fields and a few towns,
among which Hirara is the largest with a moderate range of eating place, such as restaurants and bars.

Resort hotels and pensions are found across the island.
Unlike other parts of Okinawa, there are no habu snakes in Miyako.
Miyako Island offers a small range of other attractions, including places of natural beauty and cultural interest,
and a couple of elegant bridges to neighboring islands.

Tropical Botanical Garden
It is a spacious park for recreation and the study of tropical plants in inland Miyako.
Several walking trails with the over 1600 types of plants that include trees,
bushes and flowers from Miyako and from Hawaii, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

Admission: Free 
Access Information:
Miyako Island is a relatively small island,
measuring about 25 kilometers from south to north and about 15 kilometers from east to west.
A rental car is the most convenient means of getting around Miyako.

 

Miyako Island (Miyakojima),
located 300 kilometers south of Okinawa Main Island, is known for some of Japan's
best beaches and as a great destination for diving and snorkeling in the coral reefs.

The island is the fourth largest island in Okinawa Prefecture.
It is mostly covered by sugar cane fields and a few towns, among which Hirara is the largest with a moderate range of eating place,
such as restaurants and bars.
Resort hotels and pensions are found across the island.
Unlike other parts of Okinawa, there are no habu snakes in Miyako.
Miyako Island offers a small range of other attractions, including places of natural beauty and cultural interest,
and a couple of elegant bridges to neighboring islands.

 Ikema and Kurima Bridges 
Freely traversable by car, motorcycle, bicycle or on foot
Miyako is connected to two of its neighboring islands by the bridges.
At the northern tip of Miyako, the 1.4 kilometer long Ikema Ohashi leads to Ikema Island,
while the 1.7 kilometer long Kurima Ohashi connects Kurima Island with Miyako in the southwest. 

Access Information:
Miyako Island is a relatively small island, measuring about
25 kilometers from south to north and about 15 kilometers from east to west.
A rental car is the most convenient means of getting around Miyako.

 

Kumejima (久米島) is an island, part of the Okinawa Islands.
It is located about 90 kilometers west of Okinawa Island.
Kumejima offers a much less developed version of the beaches and Okinawan culture.
Kumejima is quite small, and traveling from one end of the island to another rarely involves a trip longer than ten kilometers.
Like many other of the small islands in Okinawa, the beaches of Kumejima, snorkeling and diving are among the principal attractions for visitors. 

Hatenohama Beach
It is an uninhabited island ,an approximately seven kilometer long sand bar surrounded by water just east of the island,
is Kumejima's most popular attraction.
White sand of the beach can only be accessed by joining a tour. 

On the sandbar, swimming is restricted to the calmer northern beach,
and the sand is a little rougher than it seems from a distance.
The sea has a moderate variety of fish that can be observed while snorkeling.
Toilet is the only facilities available on the sandbar.

Access Information
Half day around 3500 yen; full day with lunch around 5500 yen
Some companies operate tour boats between Kumejima and Hatenohama Beach.
Half day and full day tours are offered. 


 

Kumejima (久米島) is an island, part of the Okinawa Islands.
It is located about 90 kilometers west of Okinawa Island.
Kumejima offers a much less developed version of the beaches and Okinawan culture.
Kumejima is quite small, and traveling from one end of the island to another rarely involves a trip longer than ten kilometers.

Like many other of the small islands in Okinawa, the beaches of Kumejima,
snorkeling and diving are among the principal attractions for visitors.

Eef Beach 
Eef Beach is located beside the one of famous tourist activity on Kumejima.
Nonetheless, it does not get excessively crowded, as it stretches around two kilometers along the coast.
Its facilities include changing and toilets.
Nearby hotels and businesses offer a range of water activities.

Admission: Free
Parking Fee: Free

 

Kumejima (久米島) is an island, part of the Okinawa Islands.
It is located about 90 kilometers west of Okinawa Island.
Kumejima offers a much less developed version of the beaches and Okinawan culture.
Kumejima is quite small, and traveling from one end of the island to another rarely involves a trip longer than ten kilometers.
Like many other of the small islands in Okinawa, the beaches of Kumejima, snorkeling and diving are among the principal attractions for visitors.

Ara Beach 
The beach, about 500 meters long, offers attractive and secluded beach
atmosphere as its location is quite far from most other attractions.
It offers some good snorkeling opportunities, with a variety of sea
life around a group of coral about 200 meters from the shore and a bit difficult to find.
Beware of currents.
The beach is also good place for sunset.
Note: toilets and changing facilities are not well maintained.

Admission: Free
Parking Fee: Free

Access Information:
In Kumejima, there few public transportation service.
Rental car is the most convenient way to travel around the island.

 

Kumejima (久米島) is an island, part of the Okinawa Islands.
It is located about 90 kilometers west of Okinawa Island.
Kumejima offers a much less developed version of the beaches and Okinawan culture.
Kumejima is quite small, and traveling from one end of the island to another rarely involves a trip longer than ten kilometers.

Kumejima has two major towns; one is located around the port.
Another is inhabited mostly by locals, while the other is a small town of hotels,
dining halls and shops catering to the tourists, located alongside 

Uezu Residence
The Uezu Residence was built in 1750 for a high ranked family.
It is built in the traditional Okinawan style with thick stone walls and red-tiled roofs.
The house cannot be entered but only viewed from the outside. 

Facility Information:
Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 
Closed: Opened All Year Round 
Admission: 300 yen

Access Information:
In Kumejima, there few public transportation service.
Rental car is the most convenient way to travel around the island.
 

Kumejima (久米島) is an island, part of the Okinawa Islands.
It is located about 90 kilometers west of Okinawa Island.
Kumejima offers a much less developed version of the beaches and Okinawan culture.
Kumejima is quite small, and traveling from one end of the island to another rarely involves a trip longer than ten kilometers.

Kumejima has two major towns; one is located around the port.
Another is inhabited mostly by locals, while the other is a small town of hotels,
dining halls and shops catering to the tourists, located alongside

Uegusuku Castle Ruins 
The Castle Ruins stand on the island's highest point about 300 meters above sea level.
It offers panoramic views of the surrounding area. Nowadays only a few small stone walls remain.

Facility Information:
Hours: Always open 
Admission: Free

Access Information:
In Kumejima, there few public transportation service.
Rental car is the most convenient way to travel around the island.