A Swinging Adventure: Crossing the Rustic Oku-Iya Vine Bridges | 体验祖谷秘境 —— 二重藤蔓桥

The Stari Most bridge in my previous post and the Japnese film Sweet Bean brought me back to my time in Japan. So, today I'll take you on a swinging adventure with me to cross a pair of vine bridges in Shikoku.

This trip took place in Iya Valley in western Tokushima Prefecture. Iya Valley is an isolated valley located in the heart of Shikoku Island. The valley's high mountain slopes are cut through by deep rocky gorges, which were originally crossed using vine bridges.

There were previously 13 such bridges in total, but only 3 of them are still in operation today. They are known as Iya Kazurabashi and Oku-Iya Kazurabashi and are regularly maintained as tourist attractions.

Iya Kazurabashi is the largest and most popular, also known as the First Vine Bridge, while the second Oku-Iya Kazurabashi includes two smaller bridges, one dubbed male bridge and the other female bridge. The female one is about half the size of the male one. There is also a self-propelled wooden cable cart next to the female bridge.

In this post, I'm showing you the second pair of bridges as well as the cable cart. The location of Iya Valley is quite remote already, and the Oku-Iya double bridges are nestled deep in the mountainous valley, so you can picture how wild the setting is. In comparison to the first bridge, this second pair is more difficult to reach, and as a result, less crowded and more tranquil. In fact, there were no other visitors there when we arrived.

To reach the bridges, we first followed a meandering road through the valley, which offered spectacular views of the rugged landscape. It was so serene and peaceful down the road with almost no one around, that when we eventually arrived at the entrance, we were surprised to see a small ticket booth standing there. Of course, as distant and secluded as the site is, funds are required to maintain it, which makes sense!

Then you'll have to descend down a steep trail to get to the bridges. The effort is well worth it to get a close look at these remarkable structures and to experience the thrilling sway.

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Who first constructed these vine bridges in such inaccessible mountains, you might also wonder? These historic bridges date back to the Heian period (794-1185). The valley's relative isolation made it a safe sanctuary for Taira clan members who fled to the area following their defeat in the Gempei War (1180–1185).

Legend has it that these immigrants built suspension bridges using the local vines to cross the Iya River. The bridges provided access to the sacred mountain of Mt. Tsurgi for horse riding and training. They also played an important role in people's daily lives, from woodcutting and hunting to trading with neighbouring regions.

First, let's have a look at the larger Male Bridge. It is 42 metres long and 2 metres broad, 12 metres from the river below.

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Walking across the bridges is an exhilarating sensation. I could feel the structure tremble beneath my feet and hear the water rushing down below. However, the sway, wind, and dusk hour made photographing the bridges and surrounding sights challenging for me. So, now I'm really excited to share these precious captures with you! As I cautiously made my way across, I also noticed steel cables tucked away in the vines, phew... feeling more secure! :)

Both of the vine bridges are stunning, as you can see from my photos here. Besides, the surrounding nature is equally amazing. In the glorious autumn season, layers of green, crimson, and golden foliage, as well as bubbling creeks and gushing waterfalls, presented a visual feast.

The incredibly fresh and moist mountain air, along with the sound of rushing water, rustling leaves, and my boots treading on the narrow wooden beams... that combination of untamed nature and journeying back in time with these ancient constructions is such a wonderful experience!

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A bit further is the smaller Female Bridge. Its length is 22 metres, and its width is 1.2 metres. It is "only" about 4 metres above the water and hence seems less frightening than the male one and the First Bridge. :) In my eyes, It also has the most rustic appearance of them all.

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In the past, a self-propelled wooden cable cart was used to ferry products across the river, but today only tourists ride them. This intriguing tiny cart is called "Yakata"(Yaen), which translates as "wild monkey". It's strung between the riverbanks on wire ropes.

I couldn't wait to try it out, but it wasn't as easy to use as it appeared. To move forward, I had to pull the rope really hard while sitting in it. Slowly crossing the river, I felt more like a turtle or snail rather than an agile "wild monkey". :) If you ever have the chance to visit this gorgeous location, I recommend that you take this ride as well, fun guaranteed!

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隔了好几年，周末终于把《澄沙之味》的后半段看完了，唏嘘于社会的残酷和死生的无常，也感动于那些平凡的幸福和人性的温情。

红豆在流水中快活地舞动，樱花在微风里轻柔地低语······ 除了河濑直美，日本还有不少导演擅长表现类似的自然之美、万物有灵。加上前一篇提到的波黑石桥，我想起在霓虹国看到的自然美景，这次就来分享一处祖谷秘境 —— 二重藤蔓桥。

奥祖谷二重藤蔓桥位于四国岛的祖谷地区，是两座用当地野生攀缘藤茎编制而成的古老吊桥，并列着跨越高地河谷，就像一对夫妇，被称为男桥和女桥。男桥的长宽约为女桥的两倍，距离水面也比女桥高出8米。

这两座桥跟大步危峡谷的第一座祖谷藤蔓桥相比，要袖珍一截，但是因为地处祖谷秘境的深处，也比更加出名的一桥隐蔽安静许多。这些沧桑的藤蔓桥历史悠久，可以追溯到12世纪的平安时代末期。

走在上面胆战心惊，相当刺激，能感觉到桥体在脚下晃动，再加上黄昏的光线，还有风，想拍出清晰的照片可真不容易。我小心翼翼地一边过桥一边拍照，还看到包裹在藤蔓间起到加固作用的钢缆，顿时松了口气，想着不至于因为老化的藤条松动而突然摔下去。

女桥旁边有座名为"野猿"的悬吊式木轿，曾经是山民用来运输货物过河的，而现在则供游客玩乐体验。我坐到木轿里面，使出浑身的力气，才好不容易拉动绳索，一点一点移动着渡过溪谷。相比敏捷的"野猿"，当时的自己可能更像只乌龟或者蜗牛吧······ 不过虽然费力，还是觉得很有意思呢。如果有机会去到那里，建议也尝试一下这原始古风的人力索道。

^{All content by @itchyfeetdonica. Thank you for visiting!
图文 by Donica，谢谢来访！=)}

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