Tokushima

​Though linked by bridge to Honshu, Tokushima seems a world away. Its remote Iya Valley features river rapids, steep gorges and even suspension bridges made of vines, while Ryozenji marks the start of the Shikoku pilgrimage route of 88 temples. The prefecture is also famous for tasty local sake, brewed in Awa Ikeda, and the Naruto whirlpools, a phenomenon created by the large volumes of water moving between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean.