Iya Valley: Vine Bridges and Clifftop Houses in Shikoku's Secret Interior

The Iya Valley is the secret heart of Shikoku, the least visited of Japan's four main islands. Here, in the 12th century, the Heike warriors took refuge after their defeat in the Genpei War, and their descendants lived for centuries in near-total isolation. The valley is so deep and steep that roads only reached it half a century ago.

The vine bridges

The Kazurabashi is a 45-metre suspension bridge built from actinidia vines (kazura), rebuilt every three years. You cross it on foot — the wooden planks are spaced apart and the river runs 14 metres below. Legend has it that the Heike warriors built these bridges so they could cut them quickly if pursued. Higher up the valley, the Niju Kazurabashi (twin bridges) are less visited and more evocative.

The statue that pees into the void

Iya's Manneken Pis (yes, it exists) is a small statue of a boy urinating into the void, placed on the edge of a cliff 200 metres above the river. It is a relatively modern addition, designed to encourage travellers to stop and admire the view. The viewpoint is one of the most vertiginous in Japan — the valley opens below into a canyon of rock and forest.

Onsen and traditional houses

Hotel Kazurabashi — a wooden structure overlooking the gorge — has a rotenburo (open-air bath) suspended above the river, reached by a private cable car. The Chiiori houses, thatched farmhouses restored by American author Alex Kerr (who wrote «Lost Japan»), can be rented: no wifi, no TV, only the sound of the river and the crackling of the irori.

Getting there

From Oboke (JR station on the Dosan line), take the bus into the valley. Having a rental car is almost essential for exploring Oku-Iya (the upper section, even more remote). From Takamatsu it takes about 2 hours by car. Best time: May–June and October–November. Winter brings snow and road closures.