Iya Valley Road

Remote cliffside road through one of Japan's last unexplored valleys past the vine bridge

Prefectural Route 32 climbs from the Oboke gorge entrance along the cliffsides of the Iya Valley, past the Peeing Boy statue lookout, the Kazurabashi vine bridge and the thatched village of Ochiai deep in western Tokushima. Long called one of Japan's last unexplored regions, it is a slow, twisting drive through dramatic ravines and traditional mountain hamlets. Much of it is one lane with steep drops and occasional rockfall traffic controls. Mind the single-lane cliff edges, oncoming traffic on blind bends, and rockfall after rain.