A vine bridge in the Iya Valley

Often referred to as the 'Tibet of Japan', this remote and misty valley is in the mountainous centre of the island of Shikoku.

Thatch-roofed cottages, Buddhist temples and outdoor hot springs dot steep mountainsides covered in green tea plantations. A raging river runs through deep gorges and beneath ancient, twisting vine bridges.

Activities in the Iya Valley include white-water rafting and kayaking in the Koboke and Oboke gorges as well as hiking up Mount Tsurugi (there is also a chairlift that takes you most of the way).

Shops and services are limited in the area and getting around is difficult without your own transport although there is a reliable public bus that winds through the Iya Valley several times a day. An hourly train stops in Oboke, linking the valley with Kochi and Okayama.