Deep Iya Guided Tour
A Special Tour with an English Speaking Local Guide
This one-of-a-kind and comprehensive 6 hour tour goes to all the best spots in the Iya Valley and includes one of our fun and knowledgeable English speaking guides together with the driver.
We show on our map and description that this tour starts (and ends) at JR Oboke Station, but it can start (or end) from most hotels or guesthouses the Iya or Oboke area.
Usually, one of our drivers will pick you up by himself and first take you Iyakei Gorge in the lower part of the valley. Here you'll stopp at a couple awesome viewpoints, including Hi-no-Ji Bend and the Peeing Boy Statue.
Next you'll head off for Deep Iya (Oku-Iya), where you'll meet with your guide at Ryugugake Park (our guides live out in Oku-Iya). Here our guide will take you across the awesome (and high!) wire suspension foot-bridge, and then walk together along the original road of Iya that was literally carved into the cliffs of the gorge here.
The next stop is the local museum where your guide will give an introduction to Iya's fabled history while also giving detailed explanations of the artifacts here (actually, our guides were the ones who translated all the descriptions on the displays, so they can describe things better than anyone!)
Nearby we will stop for lunch at an Iya-style restaurant, that is known for its locally grown vegetables, home-made pickles and side dishes, and range of meat dishes including Iya venison (the restaurant owner is a hunter).
Afterwards, the driver will drop off in the upper part of Ochiai Village, where views abound, and from here your guide will walk you down through the ancient village paths, past different terraced farm plots, stop by the tranquil Sansho Shrine, and then have an inside architectural tour of the historic thatched roof farmhouses.
The driver will pick up at the lower part of Ochiai and from here we will head to the Nagoro Scarecrow Village, where a local artist has "re-populated" her neighborhood with hundreds of life-sized dolls, who are shown being engaged in a variety of village activities.
Next we will stop at the lovely Oku-Iya Double Vine Bridges, which are peacefully set deep within the forest. This is a beautiful place with lots of walking paths as well as the Yaen cart for pulling yourself across the river (having the guide with you at the bridges is optional). By far these bridges are much better in every way than the more famous (and crowded) Kazurabashi Vine Bridge in Nshi-Iya.
On our way back through the valley we will stop at the grand Ochiai Village Viewpoint, on the opposite side of the valley, where you can take in the entirety of this ancient mountainside village while also being able to see the places you had earlier walked through.
(We will also stop once again at Ryugugake Park to drop off your guide, and then the driver will take you to your final destination).
Ⓐ JR Oboke Station (or hotel) → Ⓑ Iyakei Gorge (Peeing Boy Statue) → Ⓒ Ryugugake Park & Manpu Gorge Walk → Ⓓ Higashi-Iya Museum of History and Folklore → Ⓔ Ochiai Village Walking Tour → Ⓕ Nagoro Scarecrow Village Walk → Ⓖ Oku-Iya Double Vine Bridges → Ⓗ Ochiai Village Viewpoint → Ⓘ JR Oboke Station
Total Time is 6 hours (the guide will start/end at Ryugugake Park)
Price:
Small Taxi (up to 3 people) ¥ 39,500
Jumbo Taxi (up to 8 people) ¥ 52,800
Please understand:
- We will walk on village paths, so appropriate shoes are needed
- Available from April 1 to December 1 only
- Departure time for this tour must be before 11:00am
- Lunch fee* not included (usually about ¥600 - ¥1000)
- Entrance fees are not included (History Museum ¥410, Double Vine Bridges ¥550. Children discounted)
- This is a Fixed Route Tour, so both the price and time needed are fixed**
- Must be reserved at least one week in advance
- We have a limited number of guides, so please book early!
*Though the route includes a lunch stop at a local restaurant, if you wish you can instead bring along your own snacks/meal to either eat along the way in the car or have a picnic somewhere like Ochiai Village or the Double Vine Bridges. If starting from JR Oboke Station, about 30 meters from here is the Boke Mart grocery store which has food and drinks you can take with you. Also, a few of our stops have drink vending machines.
**Do note that if there is road construction or bad weather happening then it may be necessary to change the order for where we stop. Also, if there is a construction delay, there will be no extra charge if we go over time a bit due to the delay (but usually, if there is any delay, it will only be a few minutes)
日本語にほんご
Name: Aki
From: Japan
It was while she was living and working in a variety of foreign countries that Aki learned her English. Full of energy, she is also Iya's yoga instructor, dance teacher, and semi-official interpretor. Her specialties include Iya Valley history and legends, local customs, and Iya's food and agriculture.
Name: Shaun
From: USA
Just about everyone in the valley knows Shaun, who has been living in Iya for over 15 years and knows more about life here than probably any non-Japanese person. Aside from guiding, he's a part-time lumberjack, carpenter, trapper, translator, sculptor, and all-around repairman. His specialties include Iya Valley customs, local architecture, and Iya's landscape and geography.