Tokushima in 4 days: one city hotel or two nights in Iya?
For Naruto Strait and Wakimachi’s historic streets, visit each for a day from the same Tokushima hotel. For time in the valley and on the boat, compare one night in Tokushima followed by two in Iya. The Iya itinerary uses a rental car and returns it in Tokushima after the final-day bridge visit. Move the bridge earlier or omit it for an early departure.
Choose a 4 days / 3 nights itinerary
A: eastern sights and historic streets from one hotel
Stay three nights in Tokushima to see both the strait’s whirlpools and historic houses, with a day each in Naruto and Wakimachi. Use buses for Naruto and a rental car for Wakimachi, then visit Bizan on the final day.
A: eastern sights and historic streets from one hotel →4 days / 3 nightsB: one night in Tokushima and two in Iya
For a gorge boat trip and vine bridge crossing, stay one night in Tokushima followed by two in Iya. Move west via Wakimachi and give the boat and bridge separate days. Return the rental car in Tokushima on the final day.
B: one night in Tokushima and two in Iya →A: eastern sights and historic streets from one hotel
Stay three nights in Tokushima to see both the strait’s whirlpools and historic houses, with a day each in Naruto and Wakimachi. Use buses for Naruto and a rental car for Wakimachi, then visit Bizan on the final day.
Day 1: performance and back to your hotel
Stay three nights near Tokushima Station: a performance on day one, Naruto Strait on day two, Wakimachi’s historic streets on day three and Bizan on the final day. Take buses to Naruto and hire a car only for Wakimachi day. Check collection and return branches and opening hours when booking.
- JR Tokushima Station → Your booked Tokushima hotel
From Tokushima Station, go to your booked hotel.
- Tokushima hotel → Awa Odori Kaikan entrance
Walk to Awa Odori Kaikan. The theatre is on the second floor of the same building.
- Awa Odori Kaikan entrance → Second-floor theatre
Watch one daytime performance in the second-floor theatre. Shows start at 11:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00, last 40 minutes and cost ¥1,300 per adult. For a late arrival, consider the 20:00 show at ¥1,600. Regular shows are unavailable on Kaikan closed days and during the 11–15 August suspension. If your arrival does not fit any show, move the performance to another day.
Kaikan performances and ropeway fares and servicesOfficial fare table
- Awa Odori Kaikan → Dinner near the station or Kaikan, then the same hotel
After the show, choose an open restaurant near the Kaikan or station for dinner, then return to the same hotel. For an evening show, check restaurant last orders too.
Day 2: bus to Naruto Park
Look down over Naruto Strait from Uzu no Michi’s walkway. Choose outward and return buses to Naruto Park around the tide times.
- Tokushima hotel and stop 16 outside Tokushima Station → Naruto Park bus stop
From stop 16 outside Tokushima Station, take a Naruto Park-bound bus and get off at the park. Adult fares are ¥870 one way or ¥1,740 return. Choose both buses around your date’s tide chart and Uzu no Michi’s last admission. Allow extra time to walk from your hotel to the stop and wait for the bus.
- Naruto Park bus stop → Uzu no Michi entrance and strait walkway
Walk about 5 minutes from the stop to the entrance and buy a ¥510 adult ticket. Explore the walkway beneath the bridge. Whirlpools may not be visible at some times, so choose buses around the tide chart for your date. Last admission is 16:30 from October to February and 17:30 from March to September.
Directions to the entranceCheck admission and closuresTide chart for your visit date
- Uzu no Michi and Naruto Park stop → Tokushima Station and the same hotel
After the visit, take a Tokushima Station-bound bus from Naruto Park stop and return to the same hotel. For lunch in the park, plan around your return bus. If no shop is open, eat near the station. Choose your return service before sightseeing.
October weekday timetableHoliday timetableCheck admission and closures
Day 3: Wakimachi’s historic streets
Walk Wakimachi’s streets to see historic houses with udatsu walls. A visit inside the Yoshida Residence is optional.
- Tokushima hotel → Wakimachi Udatsu Street
Set your destination to Island Udatsu’s ordinary-car parking area in Wakimachi. The prefectural tourism estimate of about 1 hour 5 minutes from Tokushima city excludes hotel-to-branch travel, collection formalities and parking. After parking, walk towards the Yoshida Residence connected to Island Udatsu to enter the historic street. Explore the street, eat or rest at an open shop, then return to the same car park. The Yoshida Residence interior is optional at ¥510 per adult, with last entry at 16:30. Island Udatsu opens 09:00–17:30 and closes from 27 December to 1 January; individual shops have different hours.
Island Udatsu location and opening hoursYoshida Residence admission and hoursOrdinary-car and tourist-coach parking areas
- Wakimachi Udatsu Street → Tokushima hotel
Return to the car park and drive to your Tokushima return branch. Refuel and return the car by your booked time, then go to your hotel. Island Udatsu’s 39 spaces may be full. Hire, insurance, fuel, tolls and parking cost extra. Shorten the walk if your return deadline is tight. Without a car, choose a Naruto bus itinerary.
Island Udatsu location and opening hoursYoshida Residence admission and hoursOrdinary-car and tourist-coach parking areas
Day 4: Bizan views and departure
Walk from your hotel near Tokushima Station to Awa Odori Kaikan, then go to the fifth-floor lower ropeway station. Enjoy Bizan’s views and take the same ropeway down.
- Fifth-floor lower station at Awa Odori Kaikan → Bizan summit station
Buy a return ticket at Awa Odori Kaikan’s fifth-floor lower Bizan Ropeway station and ride to the summit. The adult return costs ¥1,500 and the ride takes about 6 minutes. Services usually start at 09:00. Allow extra time for tickets, queues and summit walks. Recheck seasonal finishing times, maintenance and bad-weather suspensions for your date.
Kaikan performances and ropeway fares and servicesOfficial fare table
- Bizan summit station → Lower ropeway station
After enjoying the views, take the same ropeway down.
- Lower station and Tokushima hotel → Your actual departure boarding point
As well as the roughly 6-minute ropeway ride, allow time to reach your hotel and departure boarding point. Shorten the Bizan visit for an early departure.
Included items: Daytime performance ¥1,300 + Uzu no Michi ¥510 + Bizan ¥1,500 + Naruto return buses ¥1,740
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport or onward travel, transport between your hotel and boarding points, and luggage storage cost extra. Car hire, insurance, fuel, tolls and parking are excluded. Add ¥510 if visiting the Yoshida Residence interior.
Add ¥300 for an evening performance, subtract ¥1,500 if omitting Bizan, or add ¥510 for the optional Yoshida Residence interior. Car hire and Wakimachi parking cost extra.
Official fare tableKaikan performances and ropeway fares and servicesCheck admission and closuresFares and paymentYoshida Residence admission and hoursParking fees and visitor information
B: one night in Tokushima and two in Iya
For a gorge boat trip and vine bridge crossing, stay one night in Tokushima followed by two in Iya. Move west via Wakimachi and give the boat and bridge separate days. Return the rental car in Tokushima on the final day.
Day 1: a city performance in Tokushima
Spend the first night near Tokushima Station and the next two at the same hotel in Oboke or Iya. Hire a car in Tokushima on day two and return it to the same branch on day four. Check driving times after choosing your hotel and leave in time for check-in and dinner deadlines. The final day also needs time to reach your onward service after returning the car.
- JR Tokushima Station → Your booked Tokushima hotel
From Tokushima Station, go to your booked hotel.
- Tokushima hotel → Awa Odori Kaikan entrance
Walk to Awa Odori Kaikan. The theatre is on the second floor of the same building.
- Awa Odori Kaikan entrance → Second-floor theatre
Watch one daytime performance in the second-floor theatre. Regular daytime shows start at 11:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00 and cost ¥1,300 per adult. For a late arrival, compare the 20:00 show at ¥1,600. Regular shows are unavailable on closed days and during the 11–15 August suspension. Do not include a paid show on dates without a performance.
Kaikan performances and ropeway fares and servicesOfficial fare table
- Awa Odori Kaikan → Dinner near the station or Kaikan, then the same hotel
After the show, choose an open restaurant near the Kaikan or station for dinner, then return to the same hotel. For an evening show, check restaurant last orders too.
Day 2: Wakimachi’s historic streets, then your Iya hotel
Explore Wakimachi’s historic houses and lanes before continuing to your Oboke or Iya hotel. Carry valuables with you on the walk.
Set navigation first to Island Udatsu, then to your hotel address after the walk. Check the journey from the collection branch via Wakimachi to your hotel and leave in time for check-in and dinner deadlines. If running late, omit Wakimachi and go directly to the hotel. For an early departure on day four, check whether Kazurabashi can move to day three.
- Tokushima hotel and booked car collection branch → Island Udatsu car park
Collect your car at the booked branch and set the destination to Island Udatsu car park. The official estimate of about 7 minutes from Wakimachi IC is not the full journey from your Tokushima branch. The facility opens 09:00–17:30 and closes from 27 December to 1 January. After parking, walk towards the Yoshida Residence to enter Udatsu Street. The 39 ordinary-car spaces describe capacity and do not guarantee availability. Ask the facility about parking fees.
Island Udatsu location and opening hoursOrdinary-car and tourist-coach parking areas
- Island Udatsu and the Yoshida Residence area → Udatsu Street and the same car park
Explore Udatsu Street’s historic buildings and lanes, then return to your car park. The basic itinerary excludes the Yoshida Residence interior. To add it, check the ¥510 adult admission and 16:30 last entry, and calculate whether the onward drive still fits your western hotel’s check-in and dinner deadlines.
Island Udatsu location and opening hoursYoshida Residence admission and hours
- Island Udatsu car park → Your booked Oboke or Iya hotel
After the walk, return to your car and drive to your western hotel. Use your accommodation’s actual address and arrive before its check-in and dinner deadlines.
Island Udatsu location and opening hoursOrdinary-car and tourist-coach parking areas
Day 3: Oboke Gorge sightseeing boat
After disembarking, check restaurant hours if eating at the facility. Drive back to the same Iya hotel for your second night.
- Your western hotel → Obokekyo Mannaka car park and ground-floor reception
The facility has parking, but ask the operator about fees and availability that day. After parking, buy a boat ticket at the building’s ground-floor reception and complete the passenger list. Individual passengers do not need reservations.
Tourism association parking and access guideBoat operator admission and boarding guide
- Ground-floor reception and landing → Sightseeing boat and departure landing
Follow signs inside the building down to the landing. Opening hours are 09:00–17:00, with the final departure at 16:30. Adult admission costs ¥1,800, and the boat returns to the same landing after about 30 minutes. Allow extra time for tickets and queues. Strong winds or high water may cancel services, so check operating notices that day.
Boat operator admission and boarding guide2026 fare change notice
- Departure landing and Mannaka car park → The same western hotel
After disembarking, return to your parking area and drive back to the same western hotel. Check restaurant hours if eating at the facility. Use your booked hotel address to check the route.
Boat operator admission and boarding guideTourism association parking and access guide
Day 4: Kazurabashi, then Tokushima
After crossing Kazurabashi, drive back to Tokushima, return the car and continue to your departure point. Allow time after refuelling and car return to reach your station or airport-bus stop. For a morning departure, move the bridge to an earlier day or omit it.
- Your western hotel → Yumebutai car park and Iya Kazurabashi entrance
Ordinary car parking costs ¥500 per vehicle, separate from bridge admission, and cannot be reserved. After parking, walk through the Yumebutai facility towards Iya Kazurabashi. Check hotel driving time and the walk from the car park to the bridge separately.
- Iya Kazurabashi entrance → Bridge and Yumebutai car park
Buy a ticket and cross the bridge. Admission costs ¥550 for junior high school pupils and older visitors. Hours are 08:00–18:00 from April to June, 07:30–18:30 in July and August, and 08:00–17:00 from September to March. Bad weather may change access. Afterwards, return to your parking area.
Admission and seasonal hoursParking fees and visitor information
- Yumebutai car park → Tokushima car return branch and actual departure boarding point
After the visit, return to Yumebutai car park and drive to your contracted return branch in Tokushima. Refuel and return the car, then go to your departure station or airport-bus stop. Do not schedule a final-day bridge visit for a morning departure.
Allow enough time after the bridge to drive back to Tokushima and hand back the car. Confirm the hotel address, road journey, return branch and onward service before deciding on a final-day visit.
Included items: Daytime performance ¥1,300 + Oboke boat ¥1,800 + Kazurabashi ¥550
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport or onward travel, transport between your hotel and boarding points, and luggage storage cost extra. Car hire, insurance, fuel, tolls and parking are excluded. Yumebutai parking costs a separate ¥500 per vehicle. Day-two Wakimachi parking and additional driving costs are also excluded. Add ¥510 per adult for the optional Yoshida Residence interior.
Yumebutai parking costs a separate ¥500 per vehicle. Wakimachi includes only a street walk; add ¥510 for the Yoshida Residence interior. An evening performance costs ¥300 more.
Official fare tableAdmission and seasonal hoursBoat operator admission and boarding guideYoshida Residence admission and hoursParking fees and visitor information
Checks before departure and FAQs
Can I reach Iya without a rental car?
From Tokushima, first use JR Shikoku’s time and fare search with Tokushima as departure and Oboke as arrival, checking trains and changes for your date. Continue from Oboke Station by bus or taxi. Do not simply replace parts of the driving itineraries above with buses. Choose both Oboke Station–Kazurabashi Yumebutai and return services in the operator’s timetable. Returning to Tokushima also requires a JR connection after the bus. For an Iya stay, arrange hotel transfers or the walk between your stop and accommodation.
Admission and seasonal hoursOperator’s current informationTimetable revised 1 October 2026JR Shikoku time and fare search
Do performance, boat and vine bridge costs include the vehicle?
The ¥3,650 for 4-day itinerary B covers a ¥1,300 daytime performance, ¥1,800 boat and ¥550 Kazurabashi admission. Adult boat admission is ¥1,800 after the September 2026 increase. Vehicles, parking, accommodation and meals cost extra; Yumebutai parking is ¥500 per vehicle.
Official fare tableBoat operator admission and boarding guide2026 fare change noticeAdmission and seasonal hoursParking fees and visitor information
Official sources and check dates
- Kaikan performances and ropeway fares and services ·
- Check admission and closures ·
- Directions to the entrance ·
- Tide chart for your visit date ·
- Admission and seasonal hours ·
- Parking fees and visitor information ·
- Boat operator admission and boarding guide ·
- 2026 fare change notice ·
- Island Udatsu location and opening hours ·
- Yoshida Residence admission and hours ·
- Ordinary-car and tourist-coach parking areas ·
- Operator’s current information ·
- Timetable revised 1 October 2026 ·
- October weekday timetable ·
- Holiday timetable ·
- Fares and payment ·
- Tourism association parking and access guide ·
- Official fare table ·
- JR Shikoku time and fare search ·