Airplanes are the worst. I hate flying and avoid doing so as much as possible. But to compound my suffering, the day I flew down from Tokyo to Shikoku was also the day a typhoon was heading there, too. So, as the plane was being buffeted in midair, and I sat clutching the arms of my seat for dear life, I found myself wondering -- even if I did make it safely to Tokushima Prefecture, what on earth would I be able to do there in this kind of weather?
A lot, I was to find out.
After landing at Kochi Airport, the scenic bus trip east along narrow, twisty roads clinging to mountainsides high above roaring torrents was like a rest cure. Finally, an hour and a half later, we reached our destination, the small town of Iya hidden deep in the heart of this forested island.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.