About the Tenryu Gorge:

In decades past, Tenryu Gorge became the symbol of the southern half of the Ina Valley. As the Tenryu River exits the wide, fertile basin of the Ina Valley and disappears deep inside a sheer and steep gorge, the views become truly spectacular. The “gorge”-ous area has inspired poets from all over Japan who came to bask and take inspiration from the place. In the 1960s the town was booming. Traditional Japanese boats called “wasen” which have been used for over a hundred years to carry goods from the ocean deep into the mountains, have since been repurposed for tourism, which proved a huge hit with domestic tourists from the 1960s-1980s. In more recent decades, the tourism dropped sharply and the once bustling, vibrant town is now a more of a quiet and nostalgic scene. Despite the highs and the lows, the beauty of the place is beyond doubt. And without a foreign tourist in sight, perhaps this is the time to discover the Tenryu Gorge.

What you can do during this tour:

First off, while this tour can be enjoyed as a stand alone item, I believe it is best used in combination with another half day tour in the Ina Valley such as wara-zaiku (straw craft) and Ina-tsumugi (silk weaving) craft tours.

During this half day tour you can choose between:

• A 30 minute - 1 hour easy hike of the Tenryu Gorge. This hike takes you from Tenryukyo Station, through the nostalgic town into a red pine tree forest, over the gorge on a suspension bridge, and up and round to complete the loop. This shorter hike can be combined with a boat road if the timing is right.

• A traditional Japanese boat ride. For an additional 3,600 JPY per adult (less for children) you can jump on a nostalgic feeling traditional Japanese boat ride through the Tenryu Gorge. The attraction has been a hit for generations and is still probably the thing that draws the most tourists to this area. The views are truly wonderful and the boat’s captain is often known to throw a net into the water in an attempt to catch a fish using traditional techniques. One the occasions that he does catch one, he throws it to the swooping falcons. This boat ride may be combined with the shorter hike if the timing is right.

• A 2-3 hour hike of the Tenryu Gorge. This hike start with the same route as the easier hike, but continues on deeper into the forest and onto the Sky-walk (sora-sanpo) bridge with more great views over the area. This is the half day plan which is most highly recommended for keen hikers.

How to get there:

The Tenryu Gorge is best accessed by train using the JR Iida Line to Tenryukyo Station. However if this is not convenient for you, please contact us and other arrangements can be made.

How to make a half day into a full day:

This tour can be combined with the following tours to make a full day tour:

• Tea picking and roasting in Nakai-Samurai (Price to be added: 30,000 JPY for up to four people. 5,000 JPY per additional person after that)

• Shinshu Tsumugu (silk) Weaving Experience (Price to be added: 10,000 JPY + 5,000 JPY per person)

• Wara-zaiku (straw craft) Experience (Price to be added: 10,000 JPY + 5,000 JPY per person)