The Iya Valley (祖谷 Iya) region in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan is a scenic area known for its dramatic mountain valleys, thatched roof farmhouses and historic Vine Bridges. Although access has improved in recent years, the Iya Valley and the inner parts of Shikoku have historically been remote and difficult to enter, making them a favorite retreat for refugees and defeated warriors. Most notably, members of the Taira clan (aka Heike clan) were rumored to have entered the area after losing the Genpei War to the Minamoto clan in the late 12th century.
In modern times, the Iya Valley has become an increasingly popular tourist destination due to its natural environment and to being one of the last few vestiges of old world Japan. Although the west part of the valley (known as Nishi-Iya) has good road access and other tourist facilities, the eastern area known as Higashi-Iya (東祖谷) or Oku-Iya (奥祖谷) is still relatively difficult to access. Several Vine Bridges, once the only method for crossing the rivers, continue to span the valleys and have become a tourist attraction.
Etymology
The name of Iya has somewhat cloudy origins. According to noted Japanese historical researcher Kunio Yanagita, the term "Iya" (イヤ) or "Oya" (オヤ) has been used since times immemorial to denote this mountainous valley region. This term is believed to translate as "ancestor" or "mountain/land spirit" (in the sense that according to Japanese tradition, one's ancestral spirits dwell in mountains), but since it is a phonetic term and predates the introduction of Chinese characters, it is difficult to say for certain.
Yanagita further believes that with the introduction of Chinese characters, the kanji characters 祖谷 ("Iya"), which translates as "ancestor valley", were chosen due to matching in both meaning and in phonetics.
History
The sheer remoteness of the Iya Valley made it a popular hideout for samurai warriors and refugees over the centuries. The most infamous inhabitants of the area were members of the Taira clan, who were believed to have sought refuge in the valley after facing defeat in the Genpei War (1180-1185) to the Minamoto clan, who went on to found the Kamakura Shogunate in the late 12th century. Iya has a number of vine bridges, which were created by the Taira and can be found in parts of the valley.
Geography
Although there are several rivers that flow through the Iya Valley region, the Iya River (祖谷川 Iya-gawa) is the principal one, flowing from east to west and forming the entirety of the Iya Valley. Mount Tsurugi (剣山 Tsurugi-san), the second-highest peak on Shikoku island, is at the east end of the Iya Valley along the border with Tsurugi town, and from here the headwaters of the Iya River begin their flow from springs that come off the mountain, some of which are as high as 1800m. The Iya Valley follows this river for about 50 km, to the village of Iyaguchi (祖谷口) in Yamashiro District of Miyoshi City, where the Iya River joins the Yoshino River at an elevation of about 90m.
The Iya Valley was formerly divided into two villages East Iya (東祖谷山村) and West Iya (西祖谷山村), however, on March 1, 2006, both villages merged with other local towns to form Miyoshi City. However the two former villages are still referred to by their old names locally, "Nishi-Iya" (West Iya) and "Higashi-Iya" (East Iya).
The lower reaches of the Iya Valley are referred to as the Iya Gorge (祖谷渓 Iya-kei). This area is mostly undeveloped and unpopulated, but the original road that accesses the Iya Valley goes through here (Rt 32), which was built between 1902 and 1920. Though a more modern tunnel connecting the central valley to Oboke has been built (allowing faster and easier access to the main areas of the Iya Valley), it is still possible to enter by way of the old, mostly one-laned road through the gorge (called the "Iya Highway"). About halfway along this 20 km long cliffside, gorge road is the Peeing Boy Statue , which was installed in 1968 in honor of young boys who would traditionally relieve themselves from this high precipice.
Culture
As the valley has been historically isolated from the surrounding areas, it has developed its own unique heritage. Many of the traditions are still (just barely) alive, harking back to a time and style now largely lost elsewhere in Japan.