Discover the hidden charms of Tokushima. Stunning views and history in the hidden Nishi-Awa region

Visit the hidden village of Ochiai, where the legend of the Heike clan's refugees remains

Ochiai Village

The Iya region of Tokushima Prefecture is known as one of the three most remote areas of Japan, where legends of the Heike clan's refugees and pioneering traditions remain. Among them, Ochiai Village is located on the southern slope of a mountain located almost in the center of eastern Iya, east of Mount Tsurugi, known as the second highest peak in Shikoku.

The maximum elevation difference within the village is about 390 meters. From the observation deck set up in Nakakami village across the valley, you can see the entire unexplored mountain village, including houses built clinging to the mountainside, rice fields cultivated by our ancestors, and stone walls built in a unique way.

The Nishi-Awa sloping land farming system, which the Nishi-Awa region, including Ochiai Village, is proud of, was the first in the Chugoku-Shikoku region to be recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System was established in 2011 to re-evaluate and conserve areas that are engaged in traditional agriculture, forestry, and fisheries that are considered to be of global importance.

The "Nishi Awa Sloping Land Farming System" is characterized by the use of "Koeguro (collected thatch)" to dry thatch and mix it with the soil to prevent soil erosion, as well as unique cultivation techniques using the traditional farming tool "Sarae (Mutsugo)." The award was highly praised for the knowledge and techniques inherited from their predecessors that have made farming on sloping land sustainable, and for the local culture based on mutual aid.

The symbol of Ochiai village, which was designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the national government in 2005, is the Nagaoka Family Residence. This private house, originally built in 1901 for the ruling class, was restored between 2007 and 2008 and is now open to the public free of charge.

The roof is thatched, and the exterior walls are uniquely finished with "Hishagi bamboo" pasted on top of the mud-plastered walls. This is a durable exterior material made by roasting bamboo over a fire, splitting it, and crushing it flat, and it is said to protect the mud-plastered walls from rainwater and the cold of winter.

The Nagaoka House is a private house made up of six rooms with different layouts, and is said to have a slightly unusual layout that is slightly different from other Iya houses. In addition to two hearth rooms, there are tatami rooms equipped with a "tana (study room)" and a "toko (alcove)," and from the large south-facing veranda you can view the beautiful surrounding mountains.

Enjoy the dynamic nature of Iya Valley, nurtured over countless years

Hinoji Valley

One of the spectacular views you should definitely experience when traveling to Iya Valley is the "Hinoji Valley." The origin of the name is obvious at a glance. The steeply meandering, emerald green Iya River looks like the shape of the hiragana character "hi."

The beauty of the valley, which has been created by the power of nature over an unimaginable period of time, is overwhelming. In autumn, the entire mountain is covered in gorgeous autumn leaves, creating a breathtaking view.

About a five-minute drive from Hinoji Valley, there is a statue of the "Manneken Kozo" (Peeing Boy) standing on a cliff about 200 meters below the valley floor. This is the work of sculptor Yoshiyuki Kawasaki, who is from Tokushima Prefecture. It was made based on an anecdote that local children and travelers used to test their courage here, but please do not try to imitate this.

Ride the world's longest tourist monorail and experience the nature of Oku-Iya with your whole body

Okuiya Sightseeing Monorail

If you want to experience the spectacular views of Oku-Iya rather than just looking at them, why not take a ride on the Oku-Iya Tourist Monorail, located about a 50-minute drive from Hinoji Valley?

The two-seater electric monorail departs approximately every four minutes and travels through the mountains for approximately 65 minutes. It has a total length of approximately 4,600 meters, an elevation difference of approximately 590 meters, a maximum gradient of approximately 40 degrees, and a maximum elevation of approximately 1,380 meters. In fact, all of these figures make it the world's best tourist monorail! This is a popular spot in Oku-Iya where you can easily enjoy the great outdoors of Oku-Iya.

The electric monorail moves at a walking speed and is quiet. You can enjoy the surrounding scenery at your leisure. With mountain peony flowers in spring and autumn leaves in autumn, you will never tire of seeing the nature of Oku-Iya, which changes with the seasons.

On holidays and holidays, many people visit the station, and tickets can sometimes sell out in the early afternoon, so if you want to be sure to get on the train, we recommend arriving early.

Check out the beautiful merchant houses remaining from the Edo period. Walk around the distribution center of Awa indigo

Udatsu Streetscape

Located in Minamimachi Wakimachi, Mima City, almost in the center of Tokushima Prefecture, the "Udatsu Townscape" is an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, with many townhouses remaining from the Edo period onwards. This area has a history of prosperity as a distribution centre for Awa indigo dye in the midstream of the Yoshino River.

The street lined with stately merchant houses with large walls and real tile roofs is full of the atmosphere of the time. You should also pay attention to the many beautiful old-fashioned designs, such as the light-letting "Mushikomado" windows and the two-panel sunshade "Shitomido." Apparently, this area is often used as a location for period dramas.

"Udatsu" refers to a fire wall built on the boundary between neighboring houses. Because it was quite expensive to actually install, it was only built by wealthy people.

Here in Wakimachi, indigo merchants who amassed wealth during the Edo period competed to build "udatsu" and decorated them to compete with others, and as a result, they became symbols that displayed the prosperity of their stores and their social status.

There is an expression "udatsu ga agaruna (not getting promoted, not having a prominent status)," but for the people living in this "Udatsu townscape," these expressions may have been foreign to them.

The Udatsu Street has many points of interest, including the mansion of Sagawaya Naobei, a wealthy indigo merchant, the Yoshida Family Residence, and the Odeon Theatre, the only wooden playhouse in Tokushima Prefecture, which was built in 1933 and has also been used as a filming location for movies.

At dusk, the street lamps that look like lanterns are installed under the eaves of the houses gently light up the street. Why not enjoy the charming beauty that is different from the daytime?

Enjoy Tokushima's local dish, "Sobamai Zosui" in a retro teahouse

Chari-an

If you get hungry while walking around Udatsu Town, why not try the tea shop Saria, where you can eat soba rice porridge, one of Tokushima's local dishes?

Located opposite the "Indigo Merchant Sanao Yoshida Family Residence," the shop is a renovated merchant's house built in the Taisho era. In front of the shop is an indigo-dyed shop curtain, and on the left side is a large cloth dyed white with the words "Udatsu Specialty: Buckwheat Rice Porridge" written on it.

Surrounded by steep mountains, the Iya region makes it difficult to grow rice, so buckwheat was cultivated as a staple food. "Buckwheat" is made by boiling harvested buckwheat seeds, drying them, and removing the husk. "Buckwheat porridge" is a local dish made by simmering this with meat and vegetables in soup stock.

There is a theory that it was first made by the Heike clan's refugees in memory of the capital. Nowadays, it is eaten as a home-cooked dish throughout Tokushima Prefecture. At "Sari-an," it is served as a set with cold tofu, pickles, and dessert, and is popular with tourists from overseas.

The "Sobamai Zosui" is made by adding buckwheat seeds, carrots, and burdock to a soup stock carefully made from Tokushima's local chicken "Awaodori Chicken", dried shrimp, dried shiitake mushrooms, etc., and simmering it for a gentle, comforting taste. The crunchy texture of the buckwheat seeds creates a unique rhythm in your mouth.

As an original touch of "Sari-an", grilled mochi is added, making it a hearty and satisfying dish. In addition, sweets such as kinako mochi and mizu yokan are also available, so why not stop by for a break? It is sure to make your travel memories of the "Nishi-Awa" region even more fulfilling.

The Nishi-Awa region is a place where you can enjoy both spectacular natural scenery and historic townscapes. The atmosphere of Oku-Iya, home to Ochiai Village and Hinoji Valley, is truly worthy of being called a hidden region. It is no wonder that the legend of the Heike clan's fugitives remains. Walking through the Udatsu townscape, lined with stately merchant houses with large walls and real tiled roofs, will make you feel as if you have traveled back in time. There are also cafes and guesthouses that have been renovated from old houses. Enjoy your trip at your own pace.