A remote and exceedingly picturesque region in the west of modern Tokushima Prefecture, the Iya Valley is perhaps Shikoku's most alluring and unique attraction. Historically difficult to enter, it was said to be the destination of the Heike, or Taira clan, after their defeat at the Battle of Dannoura in 1185. Famed for its vine bridges and steep valleys, the area has still not managed to escape Japan's rapid modernization, with many of its rivers dammed, its hills hemmed in by concrete and its fabled rustic farmhouses covered in corrugated iron and cement. Regardless of the loss of some of its traditions, it remains one of the country's most special destinations, offering a step back in time to the Japan of generations past.