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Off-the-beaten-track in Tokushima

Iya-Obuke Region 祖谷-大步危

Locating between Honshu (the main island of Japan) and Kyushu, Shikoku is an island famous for udon, the whirlpool and the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage route. Recently, with more direct flights to Shikoku, it has become a more popular travel destination. Shikoku is filled with wonderful nature The beautiful Seto Inlsand Sea, art islands, nice beaches, spectacular mountains, and clean river. One of the off-the-beaten tracks is the amazing mountainous valley called Iya-Obuke in Tokushima. History Legend has it that a defeated Heike Clan retreated there during a civil war in the 12th Century. The deep valley and mountainous deep forest area made it a great hide-away. The ancient vine bridges have become iconic tourist attraction of the area. Scenic Spots in Iya-Obuke There are several scenic spots around the mountain area, including a Michelin 2-Star Green scenic spot U-shape gorge, the peeing boy statue, vine bridges, the scarecrows village and the 400-year-old Ochiai Village built on a hillside. Depending on your schedule, a day trip will not be able to cover the entire area, particular if you also want to…

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Ryozenji Temple in Tokushima Japan

Ryozenji Temple 靈山寺

The 88 temple pilgrimage around Shikoku Japan has been a popular routes for Shingon Buddhism pilgrims for hundreds to over a thousand years, and recently a travel theme for Shikoku Japan. The history began in the early 8th century (804) when a Buddhist monk named Kūkai (空海) travelled to China (now Xian) to acquire teachings of Escoteric Bhuddhism from Huiguo, one of two Buddhist masters who was a favorite student of the legendary Amoghavajra from India. Kūkai (空海) returned to Japan and started to practice Escoteric Buddhism. He was favored by Emperor Junna, the 53rd Emperor Japan, at the time and the term Shingon-Shū (真言宗 Mantra School) was officially coined. In 816, Kūkai established his first monastery, Kongobu-ji in Mount Kōya (高野山), which is part of the UNESCO Pilgrimage Route in Japan. In 823, To-ji in Kyoto was presented to Kukai and was declared an Esoteric temple that would perform official rites for the state. Shingon Buddhism (真言宗) became very popular for the next several hundred years. Kūkai or Kōbō-Daishi (弘法大師) was born in Kagawa prefecture Japan. When he was young, he travelled around Shikoku, practicing in caves, mountains and forests.…

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The Naruto Whirlpools

The Naruto Whirlpools 鳴門の渦潮

Locating in the northeast of Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku Japan, Naruto was one of prosperous cities close to Kobe and Osaka since the ancient time before the bridges across the Seto Inland Sea were built in the 80s. It is famous for the whirlpools formed in the Naruto strait, red seabreams, sweet potatoes, and as an entry point to the 88 Temple Pilgrimage route.

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2018 Naruto Awa Odori Festival

Awa Odori Festival 阿波舞祭

Awa Odori Festival is one of the top summer festivals in Japan. There were dance performances in various venues and cities in Tokushima, Japan, attracting over 1 million visitors every year. Tokushima has an estimated population of around 260,000 so you can imagine how crowded it gets during the festival. There are various event venues in Tokushima prefecture. The Naruto Awa Odori festival was held from August 9 to 11, 2018. So if you are visiting Shikoku around this time, make sure that you combine this event with the world famous Naruto whirlpool itinerary. It is a night time event that starts at 7pm and finishes at 10pm. There were 3 paid venues in Naruto city with free seating arrangement. The ticket price for the Boat Race parade venue was ¥1,000 per person (highschool and above). Street performance is free to watch. If you are visiting later, you may join the Tokushima Awa Odori Festival from August 12 to 15, 2018. There are even more venues and lasts till August 15.

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