Tokushima in four days: the same accommodation or two nights in Iya?
For Naruto Strait and Wakimachi's historic streets, take a day for each from the same Tokushima accommodation. For more valley and cruise time, compare one night in Tokushima then two in Iya. The Iya stay uses a hire car, returning it in Tokushima after the final-day bridge visit. Move or omit the bridge for an early departure.
Choose an itinerary for 4 days / 3 nights
A — Eastern sights and historic streets without moving accommodation
For both whirlpools and historic houses, stay three nights in Tokushima and visit Naruto and Wakimachi on separate days. Use buses for Naruto, a hire car for Wakimachi and visit Bizan on the final day.
A — Eastern sights and historic streets without moving accommodation →4 days / 3 nightsB — One night in Tokushima, two in Iya
For a gorge cruise and vine bridge, stay one night in Tokushima then two in Iya. Travel west via Wakimachi and visit the cruise and bridge on separate days. Return the hire car in Tokushima on the final day.
B — One night in Tokushima, two in Iya →A — Eastern sights and historic streets without moving accommodation
For both whirlpools and historic houses, stay three nights in Tokushima and visit Naruto and Wakimachi on separate days. Use buses for Naruto, a hire car for Wakimachi and visit Bizan on the final day.
Day 1 · Performance, then accommodation
Stay three nights near Tokushima Station, with a show first, Naruto Strait second, Wakimachi third and Bizan on the final day. Use buses for Naruto and hire a car only for Wakimachi. Check pickup and return points and opening hours when booking.
- JR Tokushima Station → Your booked Tokushima accommodation
Travel from Tokushima Station to your booked accommodation.
- Tokushima accommodation → Awa Odori Kaikan entrance
Walk to Awa Odori Kaikan. The theatre is on Level 2 of the same building.
- Awa Odori Kaikan entrance → Level 2 theatre
Watch one daytime show on Level 2. Shows start at 11:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00, last 40 minutes and cost JPY 1,300 per adult. A late arrival may suit the 20:00 show at JPY 1,600. Regular shows are unavailable on closure days and during 11–15 August. If arrival suits no session, move the show to another day.
Kaikan performance and ropeway fares and servicesOfficial fee table
- Awa Odori Kaikan → Meal near the station or Kaikan, then the same accommodation
After the show, choose an open restaurant near the Kaikan or station for dinner and return to the same accommodation. For the evening show, check restaurant last orders.
Day 2 · Bus to Naruto Park
Look down over the Naruto Strait from Uzunomichi's walkway. Choose return Naruto Park buses around the tide times.
- Tokushima accommodation and Tokushima Station stand 16 → Naruto Park bus stop
Take a Naruto Park-bound bus from stand 16 in front of Tokushima Station. Adult fares are JPY 870 one way or JPY 1,740 return. Choose both services around your date's tide table and Uzunomichi's last admission. Allow extra for walking from accommodation to the stand and bus waits.
October weekday timetableHoliday timetableFares and payment information
- Naruto Park bus stop → Uzunomichi entrance and strait walkway
Walk about five minutes from the stop and buy the JPY 510 adult ticket. Explore the strait from the walkway beneath the bridge. Whirlpools may be absent at some times; choose buses according to your date's tide table. Last admission is 16:30 in October–February or 17:30 in March–September.
Directions to the entranceCheck fees and closuresTide table for your visit date
- Uzunomichi and Naruto Park bus stop → Tokushima Station and the same accommodation
After visiting, take a Tokushima Station-bound bus from Naruto Park and return to the same accommodation. Fit any park lunch around your return bus; if no shops are open, eat near the station. Choose the return service before sightseeing.
October weekday timetableHoliday timetableCheck fees and closures
Day 3 · Wakimachi historic streets
Walk Wakimachi's streets and look at historic houses with udatsu walls. Decide separately whether to enter the Yoshida Residence.
- Tokushima accommodation → Wakimachi Udatsu Townscape
Set directions for Ailand Udatsu's passenger-car park. The prefectural tourism guide's hour and five minutes from Tokushima city covers general road travel, excluding accommodation-to-pickup travel, car paperwork and parking. Walk towards the connected Yoshida Residence to enter the streets. After strolling, eat or rest at an open shop and return to the same car park. The residence interior is optional at JPY 510 per adult, last admission 16:30. Ailand Udatsu opens 09:00–17:30 and closes 27 December–1 January; individual street shops have different hours.
Ailand Udatsu location and operationsYoshida Residence fees and hoursPassenger-car and tour-bus parking areas
- Wakimachi Udatsu Townscape → Tokushima accommodation
Return to the car park along the same route and drive to the Tokushima return point. Refuel, return by your booked deadline and go to your accommodation. The 39-space park may be full. Hire, insurance, fuel, tolls and parking cost extra. Shorten the walk if return timing is tight. Without a car, choose the Naruto bus itinerary.
Ailand Udatsu location and operationsYoshida Residence fees and hoursPassenger-car and tour-bus parking areas
Day 4 · Visit Bizan before departure
Walk from your station-area accommodation to Awa Odori Kaikan, then go to the lower ropeway station on Level 5. Enjoy the views from Bizan and take the same ropeway down.
- Lower station, Awa Odori Kaikan Level 5 → Bizan upper station
Buy a return ticket at the lower Bizan Ropeway station on Level 5 of the Kaikan and go to the upper station. Adult return fares are JPY 1,500; the ride takes about six minutes and usually starts at 09:00. Ticketing, waiting and summit walking are extra. Check seasonal closing times and inspection or bad-weather suspensions for your date.
Kaikan performance and ropeway fares and servicesOfficial fee table
- Bizan upper station → Lower ropeway station
After enjoying the views, take the same ropeway down.
- Lower ropeway station and Tokushima accommodation → Your actual departure boarding point
Allow travel to your accommodation and departure boarding point as well as the approximately six-minute ropeway ride. Shorten the Bizan visit if departing early.
Included items: Daytime show JPY 1,300 + Uzunomichi JPY 510 + Bizan JPY 1,500 + return Naruto buses JPY 1,740.
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport or onward transport, accommodation–boarding point travel and luggage storage cost extra. Hire, insurance, fuel, tolls and parking are excluded. Choosing the Yoshida Residence interior adds JPY 510.
The evening show adds JPY 300; omitting Bizan removes JPY 1,500. The optional Yoshida Residence interior adds JPY 510. Hire and Wakimachi parking cost extra.
Official fee tableKaikan performance and ropeway fares and servicesCheck fees and closuresFares and payment informationYoshida Residence fees and hoursParking fees and access
B — One night in Tokushima, two in Iya
For a gorge cruise and vine bridge, stay one night in Tokushima then two in Iya. Travel west via Wakimachi and visit the cruise and bridge on separate days. Return the hire car in Tokushima on the final day.
Day 1 · Performance in Tokushima city
Spend the first night near Tokushima Station, then two nights at the same accommodation in Oboke or Iya. Hire a car in Tokushima on day two and return it to the same point on day four. After choosing accommodation, check driving time and leave to meet check-in and dinner deadlines. Allow time after final-day car return to catch your departure.
- JR Tokushima Station → Your booked Tokushima accommodation
Travel from Tokushima Station to your booked accommodation.
- Tokushima accommodation → Awa Odori Kaikan entrance
Walk to Awa Odori Kaikan. The theatre is on Level 2 of the same building.
- Awa Odori Kaikan entrance → Level 2 theatre
Watch one daytime show on Level 2. Regular shows start at 11:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00 and cost JPY 1,300 per adult. For a late arrival, compare the 20:00 show at JPY 1,600. Regular sessions are unavailable on closure days and during 11–15 August; do not include a paid show on dates when it cannot be seen.
Kaikan performance and ropeway fares and servicesOfficial fee table
- Awa Odori Kaikan → Meal near the station or Kaikan, then the same accommodation
After the show, choose an open restaurant near the Kaikan or station for dinner and return to the same accommodation. For the evening show, check restaurant last orders.
Day 2 · Via Wakimachi's historic streets to Iya accommodation
Explore Wakimachi's houses and lanes before travelling to your accommodation in Oboke or Iya. Keep valuables with you while walking.
Enter Ailand Udatsu in navigation first, then your accommodation's address after the walk. Check travel from pickup via Wakimachi to your accommodation and leave to meet check-in and dinner deadlines. If running late, skip Wakimachi and go directly to your accommodation. For an early day-four departure, consider whether the bridge can move to day three.
- Tokushima accommodation and booked car pickup point → Ailand Udatsu car park
Collect your booked car, then set navigation for Ailand Udatsu's car park. The official seven-minute drive from Wakimachi IC does not cover the whole journey from your Tokushima pickup point. The facility opens 09:00–17:30 and closes 27 December–1 January. Park, then walk towards the Yoshida Residence to enter the Udatsu streets. The 39 spaces describe capacity, not guaranteed availability. Confirm parking fees with the facility.
Ailand Udatsu location and operationsPassenger-car and tour-bus parking areas
- Ailand Udatsu and Yoshida Residence area → Udatsu streets and the same car park
Walk among the historic buildings and through the lanes, then return to your car park. The standard plan excludes the Yoshida Residence interior. To add it, check the JPY 510 adult fee and 16:30 last admission, first making sure the visit still allows arrival by your western accommodation's check-in and dinner deadlines.
Ailand Udatsu location and operationsYoshida Residence fees and hours
- Ailand Udatsu car park → Your booked accommodation in Oboke or Iya
Return to the car park and drive to your western accommodation. Use its actual booked address in navigation and arrive by check-in and dinner deadlines.
Ailand Udatsu location and operationsPassenger-car and tour-bus parking areas
Day 3 · Oboke Gorge cruise
Check restaurant hours if eating at the facility after the cruise. Drive back to the same Iya accommodation for the second night.
- Western accommodation → Obokekyo Mannaka car park and Level 1 reception
The facility has parking; confirm fees and availability with the operator. After parking, buy tickets at Level 1 reception and complete the passenger list. Individuals do not need reservations.
Tourism association parking and accessCruise operator's fares and boarding guide
- Level 1 reception and boat landing → Cruise and departure landing
Follow the building's signs down to the landing. Operating hours are 09:00–17:00, with the last departure at 16:30. Adult fares are JPY 1,800; the cruise returns to the same landing after about 30 minutes. Ticketing and waiting are extra. Strong winds or high river levels may cancel trips; check the day's notices.
Cruise operator's fares and boarding guide2026 fare change notice
- Departure landing and Mannaka car park → Same western accommodation
After disembarking, return to your car park and drive to the same western accommodation. Check restaurant hours for lunch at the facility. Look up the return route using your accommodation's booked address.
Cruise operator's fares and boarding guideTourism association parking and access
Day 4 · Via Kazurabashi to Tokushima
Cross Kazurabashi, then return to Tokushima to return the car and depart. Leave time after refuelling and return to reach your station or airport-bus boarding point. For a morning departure, move the bridge to an earlier day or omit it.
- Western accommodation → Yumebutai car park and Iya Kazurabashi entrance
Standard car parking costs JPY 500 per vehicle, separate from bridge admission, and cannot be reserved. Walk through the Yumebutai facilities towards the bridge after parking. Check the car park–bridge walk and driving time from accommodation separately.
- Iya Kazurabashi entrance → Bridge and Yumebutai car park
Buy a ticket and cross. Admission is JPY 550 per person for junior high school students and older. Hours are 08:00–18:00 in April–June, 07:30–18:30 in July–August and 08:00–17:00 in September–March. Bad weather may change operations. Return to your car park afterwards.
- Yumebutai car park → Tokushima car return point and actual departure boarding point
Return to the car park and drive to your contracted Tokushima return point. After refuelling and returning the car, travel to your departure station or airport-bus stand. Do not include a final-day bridge visit before a morning departure.
You need time after the bridge to drive to Tokushima and return the car. Do not confirm this final-day visit before choosing accommodation addresses, driving routes, the return point and departure service.
Included items: Daytime show JPY 1,300 + Oboke cruise JPY 1,800 + Kazurabashi JPY 550.
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport or onward transport, accommodation–boarding point travel and luggage storage cost extra. Hire, insurance, fuel, tolls and parking are excluded. Yumebutai parking costs a separate JPY 500 per vehicle. Day-two Wakimachi parking and additional driving costs are excluded; choosing the Yoshida Residence interior adds JPY 510 per adult.
Yumebutai parking is a separate JPY 500 per vehicle. Wakimachi includes only a street walk; add JPY 510 for the residence interior. The evening show adds JPY 300.
Official fee tableFees and seasonal hoursCruise operator's fares and boarding guideYoshida Residence fees and hoursParking fees and access
Checks before departure and on the day, and FAQs
Can I reach Iya without a hire car?
From Tokushima, first use JR Shikoku's timetable and fare search with Tokushima as departure and Oboke as arrival to check your date's trains and changes. Continue from Oboke by bus or taxi. Do not replace just one section of the driving itinerary with a bus. Choose outward and return Oboke Station–Kazurabashi Yumebutai buses from the operator's timetable. For a return to Tokushima, the bus must connect with JR. For an Iya stay, arrange accommodation transfers or walking routes from the stop.
Fees and seasonal hoursOperator's current informationTimetable revised 1 October 2026JR Shikoku train time and fare search
Does the show, cruise and bridge subtotal include a car?
Three-night B's JPY 3,650 includes the daytime show JPY 1,300, cruise JPY 1,800 and bridge JPY 550. The adult cruise fare rose to JPY 1,800 in September 2026. Car costs, parking, accommodation and meals are extra; Yumebutai parking is JPY 500 per vehicle.
Official fee tableCruise operator's fares and boarding guide2026 fare change noticeFees and seasonal hoursParking fees and access
Official sources and dates checked
- Kaikan performance and ropeway fares and services ·
- Check fees and closures ·
- Directions to the entrance ·
- Tide table for your visit date ·
- Fees and seasonal hours ·
- Parking fees and access ·
- Cruise operator's fares and boarding guide ·
- 2026 fare change notice ·
- Ailand Udatsu location and operations ·
- Yoshida Residence fees and hours ·
- Passenger-car and tour-bus parking areas ·
- Operator's current information ·
- Timetable revised 1 October 2026 ·
- October weekday timetable ·
- Holiday timetable ·
- Fares and payment information ·
- Tourism association parking and access ·
- Official fee table ·
- JR Shikoku train time and fare search ·