Staying at a Traditional Farmhouse* in Oku-Iya (the deep Iya Valley) 

(*a similar itinary is possible if staying at a hotspring hotel or guesthouse instead)

Take a rewarding step back in time as you get a feel for the traditional lifestyles of the Iya people.

(please note that you will need to book any accommodation yourself)

Day 1 (Half or Full Day Tour, or taxi transfer only)

• Arrive by train at Oboke Station between about 9:00 to 1:00pm to take a tour based on our 5 hour Iyakei & Oboke Tour, or if coming by 10:30am then opt to extend this tour to the 7.5 hour version to include the lovely Hashikura-ji Temple.
• Or if arriving to Oboke later in the afternoon, opt instead to just be taken by taxi directly to your accommodation, and instead have a Half or Full Day Tour on your final day (Day 3) and finish that day at Oboke Station for departure.
• If having a tour this day, meet your guide at the station and either first go for some lunch, or instead first take the Oboke Gorge Boat Cruise and eat lunch afterwards.
• Be taken by taxi to various viewpoints in the Oboke and Koboke Gorge areas, and then drive up through the entirety of the Iyakei Gorge upon the original (and now rarely used) road into the Iya Valley, visiting some lovely viewpoints along the way, as well as the main Kazurabashi Vine Bridge.  
• If staying at a farmhouse, we can stop by a small grocery store where you can purchase any foods or drinks you may wish to have (there are no stores located near most of the farmhouses).
• Drive out to the deeper part of the valley to the location of your farmhouse, and enjoy the atmosphere of the traditional building and surrounding valley views. Then savor their local style dinner set meal around the house's irori hearth and perhaps indulge in that bottle of sake you bought back at the grocery store.

Day 2 (Full Day Tour)

• After breakfast, be picked up by your taxi and guide, maybe even opting to have a morning yoga workout inside your classic farmhouse (one our guides is a skilled yoga teacher),
• Have one of our full day tours which can include walking through a historic village, touring other traditional thatched roofed homes including those of the ancient ruling samurai, have a lesson making for Etegami art, visiting the delightful Scarecrow Village, exploring the awesome Double Vine Bridges, or even take a hike up the formidable Mt Tsurugi.
• Return to your farmhouse (or hotel) for another relaxing evening with picturesque views and billions of stars.

Day 3 (Taxi transfer only, or Half / Full Day Tour)

• If looking to depart from Oboke early without having a tour this day, after breakfast be taken by taxi to Oboke Station for your departure by train of about 9:00 or 10:00am. 
• If having a later departure by train from Oboke, opt for having a tour of areas not yet visited, or if arriving later in the day on Day 1 and not touring anywhere that day, choose to take the Iyakei & Oboke Tour this day instead, and then finish at Oboke Station.

Prices for Standard Taxi  (1-3 people) from around ¥ 111,500** per group (not per person) but may vary based on arrival/departure times, accommodation location, and other requests. Please contact with your specific details.

**This does not include accommodations, and you will need to book the accommodations yourself. See below for details.

Staying 2 Nights at a Traditional Farmhouse and 1 Night at a Hotspring Hotel

(similar itinaries also possible if staying all 3 nights at either a hotel or farmhouse)

Fully immerse yourself into rhythms of the Iya Valley as you experience all that this magical place has to offer!

(please note that you will need to book any accommodation yourself)

Day 1 (Half or Full Day Tour, or no tour option)

• Arrive by train at Oboke Station anytime, from morning to late-afternoon (9:00am to 6:00pm).
• If arriving at mid-day, take a tour based on our 5 hour Iyakei & Oboke Tour, or if coming by 10:30am then opt to extend this tour to the 7.5 hour version to include the lovely Hashikura-ji Temple.
• Or if arriving to Oboke later in the afternoon, opt instead to just be taken by taxi directly to your accommodation without a tour this day.
• If having a tour, meet your guide at the station and either first go for some lunch, or instead first take the Oboke Gorge Boat Cruise and eat lunch afterwards.
• Next be taken to various viewpoints in the Oboke and Koboke Gorge areas, and then drive up through the entirety of the Iyakei Gorge upon the original (and now rarely used) road into the Iya Valley, visiting some lovely viewpoints along the way, as well as the main Kazurabashi Vine Bridge. 
• Head deeper into the valley, and upon arrival at your farmhouse stay, have your guide introduce you to your hosts and help explain the arrangements.
• Settle in to the classic house and perhaps help the host with some of the day's chores. Enjoy their dinner set of local delights along with a bottle of warm sake (all farmhouses have different hosting and meal arrangements)

Day 2 (Full Day Tour)

• After breakfast, be picked up by your taxi and guide for a day of discovering Iya's rich history and culture.
• On your full day tour you can first walk through a historic village along ancient paths, and then learn how to make the famed Iya Soba Noodles by hand. After enjoying your noodles for lunch, learn about Iya's legendary history with a personalized tour at Iya's History Museum, and then explore the intricate architecture of some well preserved thatched-roofed homes including those of Iya's ancient ruling samurai.
• Alternately, if arriving to the area later in the afternoon on the day before and not able to take the recommended Iyakei & Oboke Tour that day, then opt to take the Iyakei & Oboke Tour this day instead.
• Return to your farmhouse for another relaxing evening and maybe another bottle of sake.

Day 3 (Full Day Tour)

• After breakfast, be picked up by your taxi and guide, and head to the deepest end of the Iya Valley for a day of exploring the mountains.
• Stop by the curious Scarecrow Village along the way, as well as the enchanting Double Vine Bridges, and then continue on to the base of Mt Tsurugi or another Iya mountain
• Either choose to go hiking or simply take the chairlift half-way up the mountain and enjoy the deep valley views from there.
• If you choose to hike further, be led by your guide to the mountain top or do it yourself if you are confident enough, with a hike either here or elsewhere ranging from 2 to 6 hours (Iya's tallest mountain, Mt Tsurugi, is actually one of the easiest and quickest to climb, though with any other mountain we strongly recommend using a guide).
• Be taken to a hotel in the central valley (Nishi-Iya area) and sooth your muscles in their bubbling hotspring bath, and then enjoy a full set kaiseki dinner.

Day 4 (Taxi only, no guide)

• After breakfast maybe have one final dip into the hotspring bath.
• Be taken to Oboke Station for a departure by train of about 9:00am

Prices for Standard Taxi  (1-3 people) start from ¥ 174,000** per group (not per person) but will vary based on arrival/departure times, accommodation location, guide time, and other requests. The fee may also be lower if not having a tour on the first day. Please contact with your specific details.

**This does not include accommodations, and you will need to book the accommodations yourself. See below for details.