「祖谷のかずら橋」は3年に一度の架け替え工事を行います。工事期間:2021年1月12日(火)~2月末頃まで。

かずら橋は、徳島県の山奥で冬場の厳しい寒さの中自生するサルナシ(しらくちかずら)などの葛(かずら)類をつかって架けられた原始的な吊橋です。国指定重要有形民俗文化財。長さ45m・幅2m・水面上14m。 昔はこのあたりの地域をつなぐ唯一の道でした。

Iya Vine Bridge over the canyon in this secluded mountain villages is also associated with the legend of fleeting Heike clan, once most powerful ruler. This bridge is made of Actinidia auguta (a kind of kiwi vine) and is 45 meters long, 2 meters wide. It weighs approx. 5 tones and is suspended 15 meters above streams. It was only access over the deep canyon into the mountainous area in those days. The bridge is changed every three years. (Designated as a National and Prefectural significant folk cultural asset) OBOKE/IYA TOURIST NAVIGATION

祖谷のかずら橋
住所:徳島県三好市西祖谷山村善徳162-2 [Google Map]
定休:無休
料金:大人550円、小人350円、幼児無料
駐車:かずら橋夢舞台(市営駐車場) 普通車500円、バイク210円
電話:0883-76-0877(三好市観光案内所)

Iya Vine Bridge
Address : 162-2 Zentoku, Sanson, Nishi-Iya, Miyoshi city, Tokushima pref., Japan [Google Map]
Closed : No holiday
Fee : Adult550yen / Child350yen / Baby Free
Car Parks : Car 500yen / Bike 210yen
Tel : 0883-76-0877 (Miyoshi city tourist guide)


群生した見事な山藤

Few Americans know about this mysterious, remote valley in southern Japan – The Washington Post

The Japanese know the Iya Valley for its remoteness, alpine scenery and vine bridges and for being the fabled 12th-century refuge of the Heike clan. Americans are unlikely to know it at all, but if they do, it’s probably because of Alex Kerr.

At the tourist information office near Tokyo Station, I tried to explain this to the two very nice women behind the counter. They were visibly surprised that a foreigner was planning to visit the valley, which nestles in the mountains of Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four main islands.

祖谷のかずら橋
住所:徳島県三好市西祖谷山村善徳162-2 [Google Map]
定休:無休
料金:大人550円、小人350円、幼児無料
駐車:かずら橋夢舞台(市営駐車場) 普通車500円、バイク210円
電話:0883-76-0877(三好市観光案内所)

Iya Vine Bridge
Address : 162-2 Zentoku, Sanson, Nishi-Iya, Miyoshi city, Tokushima pref., Japan [Google Map]
Closed : No holiday
Fee : Adult550yen / Child350yen / Baby Free
Car Parks : Car 500yen / Bike 210yen
Tel : 0883-76-0877 (Miyoshi city tourist guide)

asahi.com:かずら橋 3年ごとの架け替え完了 – asahi.com

三好市西祖谷山村の「祖谷のかずら橋」で3年ごとの架け替え工事が終わり、20日、地域の住民ら150人が渡り初めをした。
 3世代の家族が渡り初めの先頭を歩くのが慣例。今年は地元の山本澤男さん(87)、ウメ子さん(83)夫妻、長男の隆さん(54)、幸代さん(52)夫妻、孫の恵介さん(28)、美咲さん(23)夫妻の家族6人が雪の積もったかずら橋をゆっくりと歩き、その後ろを西祖谷山村地区の小中学生らが続いた。
 澤男さんは「旧村職員として長年、かずら橋に関わってきたが、こういう立場で歩くのは何とも感慨深い」と話していた。
 架け替えには高知県内で採取したシラクチカズラ6トンを使い、1月12日から橋を通行止めにして住民グループの手でカズラを編む作業などが進められてきた。
(東孝司)

かずら橋 – Wikipedia

祖谷のかずら橋の場合、古文書によると、かって7ないし13の橋が存在したとされる。最古のものは、1646年(正保3年)の「阿波国図」にかずら橋が7つ存在したと記録されている。また1657年(明暦3年)「阿波国海陸度之の帳の写」の祖谷紀行には13のかずら橋があったとされる。
起源はその昔、弘法大師が祖谷に来たとき困っている村民のために架けたとか、あるいは平家の落人がこの地に潜み、追手が迫ってもすぐ切り落とせるように葛を使って架設したとの伝説もあるが定かではない。

日本吉 – NIPPON-KICHI

Nishi-Iya Kazurabashi (Vine Bridge) is located at Zentoku, Nishi-Iya village, Miyoshi, Tokushima Prefecture. It is one of the three major ‘strange’ bridges in Japan. The bridge is a primitive suspension type using vines like ‘shirakuchi’ vines.

The origin of this bridge is uncertain: one story has it that the famous priest Kukai (Kobo Taishi) built it to help villagers cross the ravine; another story has it that an easygoing member of the Taira clan constructed the bridge with vines so that they could be cut immediately if an enemy was in pursuit.

The ravine of the Niya river is so deep that it was very difficult to cross between banks. The villagers most likely made this bridge after trying many ideas.

Now, Nishi-Iya Vine Bridge is 45m in length, 2m in width, and suspended 14m above the ravine. It has been designated an National Important Tangible Folkloric Property.

Crossing the bridge is a thrilling experience; even if a single person crosses the bridge, it shakes, while the crossing is simply made of rough logs. The ‘Iya Mill Song’ is a well-known song that describes the bridge.

Enjoy Autumn Foliage and Beautiful Scenery on Your Trip to Iya Valley, Tokushima―One of the Three Most Unexplored Regions in Japan | ANA

The picturesque scenery of Iya in Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture is known as one of the three most unexplored regions of Japan. The Iya River runs through the Iya Valley, popular for its autumn foliage. If you look down at this deep-cut V-shaped valley from above, you’ll see the emerald green river running through, in dazzlingly far distance below.Iya Valley has been awarded as two stars Michelin Green Guide and it is also the only place in Japan that have been chosen by the US travel magazine Travel + Leisure for their The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2018.

かずら橋を渡って―平家隠れ里・ある女将の半生
伴 玉枝
日刊現代
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