IYA VALLEY: CHIIORI TRUST

We traveled along the steep slopes of the Iya Valley to a ravine with a 300-year-old thatched farmhouse, part of the Chiiori Trust, a unique project that seeks to preserve age-old rural traditions in the valley.

A delightful 80-year-old lady prepared our lunch and entertained us with a traditional folk song. She truly embodied the essence of life in a blue zone. The tempura was amazing!!

We continued on to have tea in a village in Ochiai, a community featuring traditional homes, some of which date back to the Edo period (around 1600-1870). The couple and their friend who served us were all in their 80s; once more, blue zone rules!