Oku-Iya Road Collapse! Driving Detour, Buses Delayed
Road collapse makes Oku-Iya access even more difficult
Update:
As of April 22, 2023 the road has been patched and is now re-open for regular driving (the detour is no longer needed), and the buses have once again resumed normal schedules without delays. More info >>
On March 24, 2023 a section of the main RT 32 road into Oku-Iya (Higashi Iya) collapsed. This section is not passable, but a detour is possible for cars, taxis, and bicycles through a small village road and will add about 10-20 minutes to the drive.
However the public buses into Oku-Iya are currently suspended through here and it is unknown when they may restart.
For Driving:
Signs for the detour route are on Rt 32 as you approach. If coming from Nishi-Iya, the detour begins about 10 minutes after the Kazurabashi Vine Bridge area. Other signs at this turn are for Kimurake Historic House and for Chiiori.
The detour route is via a small village road and adds about 10-20 minutes compared to driving on the main road. Due to this detour road being mostly one-lane, only one direction of traffic is allowed through at a time.
So if you are lucky, you will arrive at the detour right at the moment traffic is being let through in your direction. But if unlucky, you may need to wait until all traffic has come through from the opposite direction before you can go. Call it the Oku-Iya Gamble!
For Bus Access:
As of late-March 2023, all public buses into Oku-Iya are currently suspended
As of April 6th, 2023 bus service has resumed but the detour is causing a delay in the schedule. See here for details:
Oku-Iya Bus Service Restarts >>
