Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [503]
Getting Around
It’s easy enough to get around Tokushima on foot – it’s less than 1km from the station to the Bizan cable-car station. Rental bicycles (; per half/full day ¥300/500, deposit ¥3000; 9am-5pm) are available from the underground bike-park to the left as you leave the station, and bikes are available at Awa Odori Kaikan (per half/full day ¥500/1000; 9.30am-5pm); Click here for details.
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AROUND TOKUSHIMA
Naruto Whirlpools
At the change of tides, sea water whisks through the narrow channel between Shikoku and Awaji-shima at such speed that ferocious whirlpools are created. The Naruto-no-Uzushio are one of the region’s most famous attractions. The tourist information centre in Tokushima can provide you with a timetable detailing the fluctuating tides: the whirlpools are active twice a day, and are at their most impressive when there’s a full moon.
For an up-close and personal view of the whirlpools, you can venture out into the Naruto Channel on one of the tourist boats that depart from the waterfront in Naruto. Naruto Kankō Kisen (; 088-687-0101; per person ¥1530-2200) is one of several companies making regular trips out (every 20 minutes from 9am to 4.20pm) from the port, close to the Naruto Kankō-kō bus stop. For a bird’s-eye view, you can walk out along Uzu-no-michi (; 088-683-6262; admission ¥500; 9am-6pm, to 5pm Oct-Feb), a 500m-long walkway underneath the Naruto-ōhashi, which puts you directly above the action.
The best way to get to the whirlpools is to take a bus bound for Naruto-kōen () from bus stop 1 in front of Tokushima station (¥600, one hour, hourly from 9am) and get off at Naruto Kankō-kō (). Alternatively, take a local train from Tokushima to Naruto station (¥350, 40 to 50 minutes, sometimes with a change at Ikenotani), and transfer to a bus there.
The First Five Temples: Ryōzen-ji to Jizō-ji
In addition to its whirlpools, Naruto is famous as the starting point for Shikoku’s 88-temple pilgrimage. The first five temples are all within easy walking distance of each other, making it possible to get a taste of the henro (pilgrims on the 88-temple circuit) trail on a day-trip from Tokushima.
To get to Temple 1, Ryōzen-ji (), take a local train from Tokushima to Bandō (; ¥260, 25 minutes). The temple is a 10- to 15-minute walk (about 700m) along the main road; the map at Bandō station should point you in the right direction. Ryōzen-ji is an attractive temple built on the orders of Emperor Shōmu in the 8th century, with a main hall lit by hundreds of lanterns. Kōbō Daishi is said to have spent several weeks in meditation here. This is where pilgrims stock up for the trip: you will see several stores with mannequins outside that are kitted out in white robes and straw hats – this clothing marks out a person as a pilgrim on the trail.
From Ryōzen-ji it’s a short walk along the main road from the first temple to the second, Gokuraku-ji (), and another 2km from here to Temple 3, Konsen-ji (). There are more-or-less regular signposts (in Japanese) pointing the way. Look for the signs by the roadside marked henro-michi ( or ), often decorated with a red picture of a henro in silhouette. From here, it’s about 5km along an increasingly rural path to Dainichi-ji (), and another 2km to Jizō-ji (), where there’s an impressive collection of statues (admission ¥200) of the 500 Rakan disciples of the Buddha. From the Rakan () bus stop on the main road in front of the temple you can catch a bus to Itano () station, where a train will take you back to Tokushima (¥350, 30 minutes).
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IYA VALLEY
The remote Iya Valley is a world away from the hustle and bustle of urban Japan. With its rugged mountain scenery and dramatic gorges, the Iya Valley has long been a refuge for people looking to disappear from the world.
The earliest records of the valley describe a group of shamans fleeing from persecution in Nara in the 9th century.