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Western Tokushima

Soba (noodles made from buckwheat flour) replace rice as the backbone of the local cuisine in Iya Valley.

Dekomawashi is a miso-glazed tofu dish. The skewers resembles the dolls that appear in traditional Japanese puppet theatre (also known as deko), and as they get turned and roasted on a sunken firepit, the dish got the name dekomawashi (mawashi, meaning the act of turning something around).

Due to its unique geography, Iya Valley had to develop its own sources of nutrition as an alternative to the traditional staples of rice and seafood. As a result, the valley is recognised as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System.

Iya Valley is famed for its unique vine bridges (called kazurabashi) that hang over the Iya River. Each is made from several tons of wisteria vines that are gathered from the surrounding mountains.

Buckwheat has been farmed across Iya Valley for centuries. Here, its pretty white flowers can be seen brightening the landscape.