Shirakawa-go is famous for its gassho-zukuri farmhouses, which are more than two centuries old. These thatched-roof houses ...

There are numerous Heike-no-Ochudo places throughout Japan. Every remote rural area has a story just like yours and I’m not impressed.” End of story. Deep in the Iya Valley, a mountainous ...

Deep in the mountains of Shikoku lies Iya, which is home to a few small settlements. The steep, narrow and misty valley is the stuff of lore. In the 12th century it was a haven for fugitive Heike ...

Deep in the mountains of Shikoku-the smallest of Japan's major islands-the Iya Valley's terraced farm plots, thatched-roof cottages, and largely uninhabited forest preserve a piece of ancient Japan.