5 Photogenic Power Spots in Tokushima

Tokushima, where mysterious air and beautiful nature interweave, is dotted with breathtaking superb-view power spots. Camera in hand, let's set off on a special journey that seems to purify even your heart.

1. Oasahiko Shrine (Naruto City): The Moss-Covered Sacred Approach Takes the Lead

Oasahiko Shrine, known as the first shrine of Awa Province, is overwhelming with its approach, woven from a row of cedars hundreds of years old and a moss-covered stone pavement. In the morning hours when dappled sunlight shines through, the contrast of light and shadow is fantastical, just like an entrance to another world.

• Best shooting time: 7 to 9 a.m. (when the light shines in softly)
• Best season: Spring and autumn (the colors of the approach change with fresh greenery and autumn leaves)
• Shooting angle: Vertical shooting from the side of the approach toward the torii gate in the back with a "subtraction composition" is good (avoid the center of the approach, called seichu, which is considered the path of the deities)
• Access: About 20 minutes by bus from JR Naruto Station

2. Mt. Tsurugi (Miyoshi City and Mima City): A Sky-High Sacred Place Floating on a Sea of Clouds

Mt. Tsurugi, the second-highest peak in western Japan, is truly a superb view with its early-morning scenery where a sea of clouds spreads. Near the summit, bamboo grass spreads out, and on clear days you can enjoy a 360-degree grand panorama. It's also a power spot long known as a mountain of Shugendo ascetic practice, where a mysterious aura drifts.

• Best shooting time: Around sunrise (a sea of clouds is likely to spread)
• Best season: Autumn (the sea-of-clouds season of October to November is at its peak)
• Shooting angle: A horizontal composition with the summit's giant rocks in the foreground and the sea of clouds in the background is photogenic
• Access: About 2 hours by bus + lift from JR Sadamitsu Station

3. Hashikuraji Temple (Miyoshi City): Solemn Vermilion Temple Buildings Standing in the Mountains

Hashikuraji Temple, towering on the steep mountainside, is a superb-view spot where the vivid vermilion shrine buildings shine against the deep green mountain range. The full view of the precincts seen from the ropeway is also breathtakingly beautiful. The main shrine, designated a national Important Cultural Property, delivers a shot whose solemn atmosphere is irresistible.

• Best shooting time: Morning (when the vermilion shines vividly)
• Best season: Autumn (the contrast of autumn leaves and vermilion shrine buildings is best)
• Shooting angle: Wide-angle shooting overlooking the entire precincts from the ropeway summit station is popular
• Access: About 7 minutes by ropeway from JR Hashikura Station

4. Iya Kazurabashi (Miyoshi City): Adventure-Photogenic on a Hidden-Region Suspension Bridge

One of Japan's three great unusual bridges, Iya Kazurabashi is a thrilling subject. The wild scenery surrounded by a deep gorge and primeval forest fully produces a sense of Japan's hidden regions. A photo taken while feeling the bridge's sway is truly a one-of-a-kind shot.

• Best shooting time: Early morning (morning mist drifts, creating a fantastical atmosphere)
• Best season: Autumn to winter (the combination of autumn leaves and mist is dramatic)
• Shooting angle: A composition capturing the bridge and gorge together from a low angle looking up from the riverbank is good
• Access: About 30 minutes by bus from JR Oboke Station

5. Around the Awa Odori Kaikan and Mt. Bizan (Tokushima City): The Face of Tokushima Dyed by the Evening View

From the summit of Mt. Bizan, the symbol of Tokushima City, you can survey the mouth of the Yoshino River and the Kii Channel. At dusk, the orange-dyed sky and townscape are fantastical, a standard spot where you can shoot an Instagrammable evening-view photo. Don't forget the view from the train window of the Bizan Ropeway too!

• Best shooting time: The magic hour around sunset
• Best season: Year-round (the hazy evening view of spring is also beautiful)
• Shooting angle: A composition capturing the city and sea in a wide horizontal frame from the summit observatory is the classic
• Access: About 6 minutes by ropeway from the Awa Odori Kaikan

Tokushima's journey, packed with mystery and superb views—by all means, head out camera in hand.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Opening / worship hours and closed days: The Iya Kazurabashi vine bridge can be crossed 8:00-18:00 from April to June, 7:30-18:30 in July and August, and 8:00-17:00 from September to March (the entrance to the bridge closes at those times). It operates every day of the year, including in the rain, but may close temporarily if a heavy rain warning is issued.
• Fees: The crossing fee for the Iya Kazurabashi vine bridge is 550 yen for adults (junior high school age and above), 350 yen for elementary school children and free for preschool children. For groups of 20 or more it is 500 yen for adults and 320 yen for elementary school children. On presentation of a disability certificate or a rehabilitation certificate it is 270 yen for adults and 170 yen for elementary school children (one carer receives the same discount). Cashless payment is accepted.
• Access: The Iya Kazurabashi vine bridge is at 162-2 Zentoku, Nishiiyayama-mura, Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture. From JR Oboke Station take the Shikoku Kotsu bus bound for "Kazurabashi Yume-butai" or "Hotel Iya Onsen," get off at "Kazurabashi Yume-butai" and walk about 5 minutes. By car it takes about an hour in total from the Ikawa-Ikeda IC via National Route 32, Prefectural Route 45 and Prefectural Route 32.
• Parking: Kazurabashi Yume-butai (municipal car park) has space for 350 cars and 14 large buses. It costs 500 yen for an ordinary car, 210 yen for a motorcycle, 1,050 yen for a medium-sized bus and 1,570 yen for a large bus. Reservations are not accepted. When searching by phone number on a car navigation system, use "Kazurabashi Yume-butai: 0883-87-2200" (a different number may direct you to a place about an hour away by car).
• Etiquette for worship: Oasahiko Shrine is the first-ranked shrine of the former Awa Province. During the New Year's visit period, the roads around the shrine are subject to traffic restrictions from 22:00 on December 31 until 18:00 on January 5, and crowd control is in place. Please cooperate with the guards' instructions. There are also dates and times when prayer applications are suspended, such as the annual festival on November 1 (9:00 to 11:30).
• Photography rules: The Kazurabashi is a tourist facility that many people cross at the same time. Avoid stopping on the bridge to take photos for long periods, as this blocks the people behind you.
• Safety notes: About 100 m beyond the Kazurabashi there are steps on a footpath leading down to the riverbed, but please refrain from going down when the river is swollen, as it is dangerous. Pitching tents on the riverbed is also not allowed. Mount Tsurugi is a high-elevation mountain area, and if you are aiming for the sea of clouds in the early morning you need to be prepared for the cold and for sudden changes in the weather.

* Fees and opening hours are subject to revision. Please check the latest information on the Miyoshi City official tourism site and elsewhere before your visit.

(Sources: Miyoshi City official tourism site "Oboke Iya Navi," Iya Kazurabashi page; Oasahiko Shrine official website)