Iya Valley

Miyoshi City is in Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku.

Understand

Located in the center of Shikoku Island, Miyoshi City is the administrative name for a collection of districts which were amalgamated in 2005.

These districts include:

• Ikeda Town
• Yamashiro (for Oboke and Koboke)
• Nishi-Iya and Higashi Iya (for the Iya Valley)
• Ikawa
• Mino

The official tourism webpage for Miyoshi City (covering all districts above) is available in English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean.

Get in

Miyoshi City is serviced by JR Trains (Dosan Line and Tokushima Line) as well as Highway Buses to/from Osaka and Kobe. Generally speaking, Ikeda acts as the central transportion hub for both entering the city and for travel within.

For proper access information, it is best to check the pages for the individual districts listed above (the Iya Valley page is the most thorough).

Get around

The best way to get around is by car as many places are spread out and public transportation can be confusing and infrequent. However there is a network of local buses which are hubbed out of the main bus station in Ikeda, and trains link several places as well.

For complete local transport options, it is best to check the pages for the individual districts listed above (again, the Iya Valley page is the most thorough for this)

See

• Unpenji Temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage (Ikeda)
• Oboke Gorge / Yoshino River (Oboke and Koboke)
• Youkai (traditional monster) Attractions (Oboke and Koboke)
• Iya Gorge (Iya Valley)
• Japan's only Vine Bridges (Iya Valley)
• Historic Ochiai Hamlet (Iya Valley)
• The Scarecrow Village (Iya Valley)

Do

• White-water Rafting (Oboke and Koboke)
• Hiking and Camping (Iya Valley)
• Hotspring bathing (Oboke and Koboke, and Iya Valley)

Buy

The main shopping district is in Ikeda.

Eat

Miyoshi area specialties include grilled river trout, "Iya Soba" noodles, uniquely dense "stone" tofu, and highly prized "san-sai" mountain sprouts.

Drink

Ikeda is home to three local sake breweries.

Sleep

A wide range of sleeping options are available, mostly in the Iya Valley area, but also some in Oboke and Koboke. Private cabin rentals, classic-style inns, traditional guest houses, camping, high-end luxury hotels, and even free mountain top huts accessible only by foot. A unique option in the Iya Valley would be to stay in a centuries-old thatched roof farmhouse.

Go next

• Higashimiyoshi
• Tsurugi
• Mima
• Otoyo
• Kami
• Kochi City is located an hour or so south.
• Manno
• Kotohira
• Takamatsu City is located an hour or so to the north.