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Before you go
Your trip to Miyoshi.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Miyoshi – Tokushima
How to get there
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Aeroporto de Takamatsu (TAK) Takamatsu · 53 km
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Estação de Awa-Ikeda 1 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
Awa-Ikeda Station, in central Miyoshi, is served by the Nanpu limited express from Okayama and Kochi and by trains from Takamatsu and Tokushima. Oboke Station, about 20 minutes to the south, is the closest to the gorges and the valley. Local buses with few departures connect the stations to the vine bridge and Oku-Iya. Takamatsu Airport is about 53 km from Ikeda.
How many days
Two days and one night in the valley: one day for Oboke and Nishi-Iya’s vine bridge, another for Oku-Iya and Ochiai.
When to go
From April to November, with autumn foliage from late October to mid-November. The Oku-Iya bridges usually close in winter. Yoshino River rafting generally operates from spring through autumn.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
A car is the most practical way to get around the valley, on narrow winding roads. Without a car, use buses from Awa-Ikeda and Oboke, which have few departures, taxis or organized tours.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Miyoshi
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Morning
Oboke Gorge
Get off the train at Oboke and take the boat cruise through the gorge, between pale rock cliffs.
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Afternoon
Nishi-Iya vine bridge
Take a bus or taxi up to the vine bridge, cross it over the river and see the Biwa waterfall next to it.
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Late afternoon
Valley road
Follow the old valley road, stopping at viewpoints over the river, until you reach the inn.
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Evening
Inn in the valley
Dine on Iya soba and dekomawashi and take a hot-spring bath to the sound of the river.
2 days in Miyoshi
Day 1
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Morning
Oboke by boat
Arrive by train at Oboke and take the roughly 30-minute boat cruise through the gorge.
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Afternoon
Kazurabashi
Cross the Nishi-Iya vine bridge and have grilled river fish for lunch at the food stalls near the bridge.
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Late afternoon
Valley viewpoints
Stop at the viewpoints along the old road, overlooking the bends of the Iya River.
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Evening
Night in Iya
Spend the night at lodging in Higashi-Iya, such as restored thatched houses.
Day 2
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Morning
Ochiai
See the village of Ochiai from the viewpoint on the opposite side of the valley, with houses and rice fields in terraces on the slope.
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Afternoon
Oku-Iya bridges
Climb up to the Oku-Iya double vine bridges and cross the river in the hand-pulled cable cart.
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Late afternoon
Valley descent
Descend the valley along the river road, stopping at Kubo or a viewpoint, heading toward Oboke or Ikeda.
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Evening
Departure
Catch the train at Oboke or Awa-Ikeda for Kōchi, Okayama or Takamatsu.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
Which station to use for the Iya Valley: Awa-Ikeda or Oboke?
Oboke is closer to the gorge and the valley, and the Nanpu limited express stops at both. Awa-Ikeda has more services, hotels and buses.
Are there buses to the vine bridge?
Yes, local buses run from Awa-Ikeda and pass through Oboke to the Nishi-Iya vine bridge, with only a few departures per day. Check the outbound and return timetables before you go.
Where to go rafting on the Yoshino River?
In the Koboke gorge and on the stretch between Oboke and Koboke, with local companies running descents from spring to autumn depending on the river level.
What is Mount Tsurugi?
A 1,955-meter mountain east of the Iya Valley, the second highest on Shikoku. A chairlift climbs part of the slope, and the trail to the summit takes about 1 hour from the top of the lift during the season.
Beyond the guide
