Journeys in Japan

Iya Valley, Tokushima: Exploring the remote Iya Valley (1x32)

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On this edition of journey in japan , we visit the Iya Valley, in the center of Shikoku. Until about 40 years ago, it was cut off from the rest of the island, and people living there had little interaction with other communities. This allowed the traditional customs and lifestyle to remain unchanged for centuries. Our reporter, Adeyto, takes a local train into the mountains of Shikoku, following the course of the Yoshino River, the longest river on the island. Then she has to take a bus along a mountain road that's so only wide enough for one vehicles at a time. In the Iya Valley, there are traditional suspension bridges made out of vines known as kazura, which grow in the local forests. In the old days, these kazura bridges used to be the only way to get across the river. One of the bridges is 45 meters long. Because they do not last long, the local villagers remake the kazura bridges every three years. Iya Village is no longer so cut off, and there have been many changes in recent years. Many of the traditional farmhouses with their thatched roofs have been lost. But one old house was saved from destruction after being bought by an American man, Alex Kerr, who discovered the Iya Valley in the 1970s. Now the 300-year-old building is run by an NPO, the Chiiori Trust, which works alongside local residents to help preserve the traditional architecture. Adeyto visits a community built on the steep mountainside, to find out about the traditional lifestyle in this remote settlement. The buckwheat harvest is just over and she gets to try a traditional dish made from buckwheat grain. Finally, Adeyto hikes to the top of Mt. Tsurugi, the second highest peak in Shikoku, located at the far end of the Iya Valley. The mountain takes its name from a sword that was hidden here some 800 years ago, which belonged to a young emperor who died in battle. For the local people, this is a sacred spot. There is a mountain lodge just below the summit, which gives a wonderful