Initially I had 7 missions to carry on to Shikoku, but due to a change in flight schedule upon various reasons, I took out 1 mission.
The missions are Dogo-onsen in Matsuyama (Ehime), Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu (Kagawa), Naruto Whirlpool in Naruto (Tokushima), Awa-odori Festival in Tokushima (Tokushima), Kazura Bridge in Iya Valley (Tokushima), and the final one!! Nagoro the Village of Dolls in Iya Valley (Tokushima).
Now, I am thrilled to share a story about how stupid was my 'trip' to Nagoro.
It started from early morning in Tokushima. Me and my travel Buddy was a bit lethargic after spending a night at a manga-net cafe (we didn't book any hotel / guest house.. and it was the last day of Awa-odori Festival... what could we expect??!! hahahaha). We decided to take a train to Awa-ikeda (阿波池田) station at 9.45 in the morning. It costed ￥1,640 plus ￥1,180 for unreserved seat. It supposed to take approx. 2 hr, but the train was late for nearly 10 min. Luckily, the next train heading Kochi waited the delayed train, so we managed to hop in and continue to Oboke (大歩危) with additional ￥450. Around 20 min later, we arrived at Oboke... and this was where all the stupidity started.
It was nearly 12.30 and we planned to take a bus at 13.08 directly to Kubo (久保), but we didn't expect that the bus only reaches until Kazura Bridge (蔓橋). The one reaches Kubo was the one at 14.08. We thought, "Ow, OK.. maybe we can take a look the bridge first, and walk to Kubo." Yeah right....!!!
It took around 20 min from Oboke to Kazura Bridge by bus, and it costed ￥660. The bridge is around 300 m from the bus stop. To cross the bridge, you need to pay ￥500. The bridge is 45 m long, 14 m to the river down there. So, if you cross it, walk as slow as possible, enjoy the every moment, since it cost you approx. ￥11,11/m hehehehe
Well, afterwards, we thought of walking to Nagoro, since the guides in internet mostly said it takes another 40 min from Kazura Bridge to Kubo by bus, another 15 min by shuttle bus, and 10 min walking to the village. 'It might take us 4 hr walking from here,' said our super stupidly optimistic mind.
We asked for direction to a security guy and he said, "Better drop the idea. It's 30 km from here, with elevation and there is no pedestrian. It normally takes one and a half hour by car. Many foreigners think of walking there, but it's a no joke." We gulped. It sounded serious.
Fortunately we just needed to wait for around 30 min for the next bus to come. This bus was the one departing at 14.08 and arrived at Kazura Bridge around 14.30. Actually this bus came from Awa-Ikeda (departed around 13.26 or something)... so you can actually take the bus without continuing the train to Oboke.
We hopped in and arrived at Kubo around 15.16 with additional ￥880. We checked the last bus back to Oboke... 16.36..
When will the shuttle bus to Nagoro comes? 16.38
CRAP!!! 'We will definitely miss it!!'
We looked around, 'Hem... there is a bench here... maybe we can sleep here after we come back.'
'OK, where is the direction?'....
Living so long in a comfortable-Japan... has turned us into such naive kids.. NO SIGNAL!!! GoogleMap couldn't work!!
But fortunately, my travel buddy checked the village just to estimate the location when we were at the bridge. FIUH!! We were relying on the direction mode only.
We just couldn't estimate the distance... and nobody to ask to too...!!!
We walked a bit and found a house with elderly couple talking... they said we were in the right direction, just around 4 km from here. We were glad...!!!
I estimated under the rain and the walking speed, it would take us one and a half hour walking to reach 4 km.
After being drenched for the first 30 min... we passed the shuttle bus from the opposite direction. We felt hope!! (Well, the bus driver and the one and only passenger looked at us with alienated stare though...)
'But maybe by the time the shuttle bus comes, we are already at Nagoro..' we thought... well, it wasn't even 16.00 yet. We were still optimistic.
However, another 10 min walking, we heard a warning echoing through the valley...
"Due to the heavy rain, please beware of flood, especially those heading to Nagoro, ... etc... etc.."
We turned pale and the rest of the other villages' name just fading behind...
What should we do??!!!
Go back to Kubo?
USELESS... by the time we arrive, the last bus must have already departed.
Stop?
BUT WHERE WILL WE SLEEP??!!
No other choice but to continue our walk... even though the warning bell roaring like crazy.
We walked for another hour and reached a bit of habitation.
I read.. Nagoro..
"Hey, we are already here. It's written Nagoro," I said to my buddy.
"Yeah, but the Nagoro Dam is still another kilos!!"
"But hey, this looks like a bus station. Wanna wait for the shuttle bus? It will come around 16.49, just another 10 min?" He asked me.
"OK..I am tired anyway."
While we were waiting with hope, there were 4 other foreigners passed us with their bicycles, drenched under the rain, with minimal clothing... Maybe another stupid travellers like us.
We exchanged greetings in... Japanese hahahaha .. Konnichiwa.. we said each other.
A bit after, our hope, the shuttle bus came.
We hopped in and in a short 10-15 min, we exchange conversation with the bus driver...
"We are going to Nagoro exactly, the dam? There is nothing there."
"No, we would like to go the village of dolls."
"I see, it's getting famous lately. Where will you stay, then? You already missed the last bus back to Oboke, you know."
"Yes we know, we were thinking of either staying in the village or back to Kubo."
"But there is no place to spend the night, either in the village or Kubo..."
Silence...
We were dumbfounded... OK!!
"Do you want me to take you back to somewhere with lodging?"
"Can you?"
"Where do you want to stay?"
I looked the price list in the bus... there was Kazura Bridge written. Hem, might be a good option.
"How about Kazura Bridge?"
"Which Kazura Bridge?"
"Is there any other Kazura Bridge?"
"Well, I usually take customer there, but it's not the tourist attraction one, if that was the one across your mind. There are 2 Kazura Bridges here, the one I usually go is the one on the dam side."
GREAT.. We are DOOMED!!
"How about if I take you two to Kyoujou (京上)? At least there are some ryoukan (旅館 - Japanese style hostel, not always cheap!) over there."
"Ah, here we are.. the village of dolls"
"Wanna think about it? I will turn my car.. You can drop here and take a look while thinking."
We got down the car and paid ￥230.
All the worries were gone for a moment... we were too engulfed by the village... Dolls everywhere!!!
It wasn't longer than 10 min. After satisfied...
"So?"
We didn't want to risk our only chance to head back... and definitely didn't want to steal a place to sleep from the dools.
"We will go with you to Kyoujou."
The shuttle bus ran on the wet asphalt for quite a long time. It took nearly 25 min only to reach Kubo, and another 20 min to Kyoujou. By the time we reached Kyoujou, it was already 18.10. We paid him ￥500 each, and he generously pointed several ryoukans to us.
We got down and said a bunch of thanks to him and he left.
Kyoujou looked nice. We tried to knock a ryoukan.
"Excuse us"
Silence...
"Hey, Flo.. are you sure there are people here?"
"Dunno..." I doubted myself..
"Yes"
Finally somebody went out the door.
"I am sorry, but do you have any open room?"
"I am very sorry, but we are currently on holiday."
???????!!!!!!!
OK...as a note... Japanese ryoukans DO take holiday...
"OK, sorry.. please excuse us."
We walked and took a look to the surroundings. No light was ON..
"I think they are all closed. Let's just sleep at the bus station," I said.
Well, honestly.. the bus station was a brand new!!! It wasn't bad at all!! Wanna proof??!!
So, we stayed there. On the next day, we caught the first bus back to Awa-Ikeda at 7.40. No kidding, we didn't want to miss it since the next bus will come after another 5 hours!!!
"Good morning, due to the heavy rain last night, this bus will not go to Oboke," said the bus driver.
"But you will go to Ikeda, right? Awa-Ikeda?"
"Yes, that's the last station, we will take another route avoiding Oboke, there was a land-slide around there."
GULP.. OW, whatever.. as long as we could reach Awa-Ikeda..
The road was super narrow for the big bus. Even sometime, there is only 1 lane for 2 ways, that the bus or cars have to stop to give a way to each other. In addition, just after the thin-metal roadblock, there is a nearly vertical cliff directly falling to the river. My soul was nearly out from my mouth, looking down the depth...
After a long, thrilling, 2 hr ride, we reached Awa-Ikeda at 9.25 and it costed us ￥1,580.
YAY!!!!! I had never been that happy, seeing a train station!!!
For additional info
Oboke --> Kubo ￥1,240
Awa-Ikeda --> Kubo ￥1,790
I am really sorry, I forgot to take pictures for the bus schedule for Awa-Ikeda --> Kubo, Oboke-->Kubo, and Kubo-->Nagoro... super duper sorry >.<