Best Ryokans in Iya Valley

The Iya Valley in Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, is one of Japan's best-kept secrets — a steep-walled gorge carved by the Iya River, so remote that it became a refuge for defeated Heike warriors in the 12th century. Vine suspension bridges sway over the ravine, mountain vegetables grow in terraced fields cut into near-vertical slopes, and small riverside onsen inns offer complete isolation from modern Japan. It is one of the most authentic and atmospheric ryokan experiences in the entire country for travellers willing to seek it out.