Iya Valley and Oboke-Koboke Gorges

In the Iya Valley, mountain villages cling to the side of improbably steep hills while turquoise rivers rush through the ravines below. This remote region was once so isolated that it became the retreat of choice for Heike clan warriors after they lost an epic battle to their Minamoto rivals in the 12th century. To get to Iya now, you don't have to string your own vine bridges across ravines like the Heiki did—although some of the bridges remain—you can access the valley by bus or car. But if you want to feel you've escaped modern Japan for a hidden world, you can't do better than here.