Chiiori
篪庵
A thatched-roof Edo-period farmhouse on a mountainside in East Iya, restored by American writer Alex Kerr and made famous by his book Lost Japan.
Chiiori is a thatched farmhouse built in the mid-Edo period on a steep slope in the Tsurui hamlet of East Iya. In 1973, American scholar of Japan Alex Kerr bought and restored the house. In his book Utsukushiki Nihon no Zanzō (Lost Japan), he described mountain life here, which made it a gateway for foreign visitors to discover Iya. The house retains its glossy black floorboards, a sunken hearth (irori) and smoke-darkened beams and pillars. In front, the deep Iya River gorge is visible. It is now run by an NPO, mainly as whole-house rentals. Visits or stays must be booked in advance on the official website. It is about 40 minutes' drive from Oboke Station, and the mountain roads are narrow, so a car or taxi is essentially required.
Opening hours
Reservation required (for overnight stays/visits)
Nearby sights
- Iya Kazurabashi Vine Bridge
- Iya Onsen
- Iya Gorge & Peeing Boy Statue
- Ochiai Village
- Michi-no-Eki Oboke & Yokai Yashiki
- Oboke Gorge Boat Ride
- Koboke Gorge & Yoshino River Rafting
- Nagoro Scarecrow Village