The Iya Valley is one of Japan’s most remote gorges, and its vine suspension bridge is the reason most people make the trip. The bridge sways; the boards have gaps; the river is a long way down. It is rebuilt with fresh vines every few years so it stays exactly this alarming.
- Length about 45 m, width 2 m, roughly 14 m above the Iya River; one of Japan’s three surviving vine bridgesSource: Miyoshi City tourism (miyoshi-tourism.jp)
- Re-woven every three years from hardy kiwi vine (shirakuchikazura)Source: Miyoshi City tourism
- Nearby: Biwa Falls (a few minutes’ walk) and Oboke Gorge downstreamSource: Miyoshi City tourism
Photos: Iya Kazurabashi vine bridge — tanaka via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Crossing the vine bridge — Kensuke_Nakaya via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Iya Valley — Kensuke_Nakaya via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0
Getting there
Bus from JR Oboke Station (Dosan Line) about 25 min to Kazurabashi; a car makes the wider valley much easier.
Also in English · 繁體中文 · Español · ไทย · Bahasa Indonesia — Test yourself.
Data: GBIF occurrence records for Tokushima (GADM JPN.40_1), year 2024, as compiled on NihongoHub Wildlife.
Go deeper
Links marked PR are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Facts carry their source next to them; island figures are as printed in SHIMADAS and may predate your visit. Map: Geolonia (MIT); embedded map © Google.