Ochiai Village
Ochiai Village
ochiai-shuraku
落合集落
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The historic village of Ochiai
climbs nearly 400 vertical meters up the side of a mountain, and is an enduring example of a traditional Iya hamlet. Due to its collection of ancient houses, with many dating back well over 200 years, Ochiai has been classified as a Nationally Important Preservation District.
The village is quite spread out upon the hillside, with hand cultivated farm plots surrounding most houses. Though most homes continue to be private residences, near the center of the village is the thatched roof Nagaoka-ke Historic House,
which has been nicely restored to its original condition and is open for visitors to explore inside (9am-5pm, Closed Wed, no fee). Also near the village center is the tranquil Sansho Shrine,
which is surrounded by huge old-growth cedar trees. Though its pleasant to visit any season, twice a year the shrine holds a festive ceremony in mid- summer and early autumn (see below).
The stone-lined footpaths that criss-cross the village continue to be used by the local residents, and these ancient trails allow visitors to deeply explore the area. A few roads also weave through the settlement and offer a bit more ease than walking, especially since most foot paths often require climbs up and down slopes. In the small terraced fields various vegetables are grown as well as rice in a few. In the late summer, many of the fields that grew potatos in the spring are sown with buckwheat (soba), which is harvested usually in late October.
Located throughout Ochiai are the eight thatched roof houses of Togenkyo-Iya
which are available for visitors to stay in overnight. These homes have been beautifully refurbished and all include well appointed living spaces as well as modern kitchens and bathrooms. Even if one does not opt for such a unique stay, seeing the lovely architecture of these stately houses from the outside is enjoyable for anyone.
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Local Points
Ochiai Village climbs up the moutainside from an elevation of about 600m to almost 1000m. The Ochiai-bashi Bus Stop
is located along the main road beside the Soba Dojo
restaurant and near Kurieda Tofu.
A short distance down the road is Miyanishi Shop
and the post office.
Roads and a web of foot paths weave up from the base through the village. The Nagaoka-ke Historic House
is located in the center of the lower half of the village, and directly up from here via path (indirectly via road) and surrounded by tall trees is Sansho Shrine.
A bit up a side path from here past a few fields is Nakochi cafe & restaurant. Along the road above the shrine is some parking as well as a set of toilets. Up a path near here is a nice overlook with an unobstructed view into the valley. Spread throughout the village from top to bottom are the eight restored thatched roof farmhouses of Togenkyo-Iya which are available to stay in overnight.
Following the road 30 minutes up beyond the village eventually leads to Ochiai Pass and its spectacular view. On the opposite side of the valley is Ochiai Viewpoint with its grand view of the entire settlement, as well as the farm stay of Iya Hakkei.
A bit up a side path from here past a few fields is Nakochi cafe & restaurant. Along the road above the shrine is some parking as well as a set of toilets. Up a path near here is a nice overlook with an unobstructed view into the valley. Spread throughout the village from top to bottom are the eight restored thatched roof farmhouses of Togenkyo-Iya which are available to stay in overnight.
Following the road 30 minutes up beyond the village eventually leads to Ochiai Pass and its spectacular view. On the opposite side of the valley is Ochiai Viewpoint with its grand view of the entire settlement, as well as the farm stay of Iya Hakkei.
Access by Car
By car, the base of Ochiai Village along Rt 439 is about 10 minutes from Kyojo
or about 25-30 minutes from Central Nishi-Iya.
If looking to drive up into the center of the village and coming up the valley from the Nishi-Iya direction, it may be easier to go via a bypass road that turns off Rt 439 a few minutes before reaching the lower part of the village (see turn-off here).
This bypass road first goes up through some forest (take the first right turn if going to Nagaoka-ke Historic House
), but eventually it crosses the center of the village, passing Sansho Shrine
from above (some parking available along the road) as well as to Nakochi
cafe (parking also above on the road).
Driving up to Ochiai Pass takes another 30 minutes or so from Nakochi, with the road being curvy and steep. Small rock-slides on this upper road near the pass are not uncommon, so it can be occassionally closed for road repair. It takes an additional 80 or 90 minutes from the pass through Mibuchi to reach Higashi-Miyoshi Town along this remote road, so it may not be the best choice for entering or exiting the valley this way for most people.
Driving up to Ochiai Pass takes another 30 minutes or so from Nakochi, with the road being curvy and steep. Small rock-slides on this upper road near the pass are not uncommon, so it can be occassionally closed for road repair. It takes an additional 80 or 90 minutes from the pass through Mibuchi to reach Higashi-Miyoshi Town along this remote road, so it may not be the best choice for entering or exiting the valley this way for most people.
Access by Bus & Foot
By bus, the Ochiai-bashi Bus Stop
at the village base is accessable via both the main Shikoku Kotsu Buses (going to/from Nishi-Iya, Oboke, and Ikeda), as well as by the Local Miyoshi Municipal Buses of Oku-Iya (coming from Kyojo
in Oku-Iya, and then onwards to Kubo
and Nagoro
). However, walking up into the village via road or path from the bus stop is a bit of a task. Though points appear close on the map, Ochiai is quite steep, and on a hot summer day going up can be exhausting. (Though walking back down is much less arduous). Its about a 10-15 minutes walk from the bus stop to Nagaoka-ke Historic House
(first take the path next to the small police station and then take the road the rest of the way), and another 10+ minutes up to Sansho Shrine
(look for the narrow path on the left going up between a couple garages about 20 meters past Nagaoka-ke, then go up steeply, with crossing the road once). Walking over to Nakochi
cafe its a bit more level and about a 5 minute walk from the shrine.
One can also walk over to the Ochiai Viewpoint on the opposite side of the valley by following the small road down behind the Ochiai Post Office and crossing the small bridge, and then following the winding road up from there. From the post office to the viewpoint takes about 20 minutes.
One can also walk over to the Ochiai Viewpoint on the opposite side of the valley by following the small road down behind the Ochiai Post Office and crossing the small bridge, and then following the winding road up from there. From the post office to the viewpoint takes about 20 minutes.
Ochiai Sansho Shrine Festival
Twice a year the local shrine of Ochiai holds a festival where the whole neighborhood comes out for a blessing and for the procession of a portable
mikoshi
shrine. Anyone is welcome to attend this ancient event, where people wear special costumes and partake in various traditional ceremonies.
The dates are different each year based on the old Lunar Calendar (same as the Chinese Calendar). The Summer Festival is on the 8th day of 6th Lunar Month (usually in early/mid July), and the Autumn Festival is on the 5th day of 8th Lunar Month (usually in early/mid September). The event occurs from about 1pm to 4pm. For more info, see the listing on the Event & Festival Page.