On the fourth day of Matthew’s visit – and the last day we would have time to do sightseeing together – we decided to visit Aya. An hour or so west of Takanabe, the town is part of the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages In Japan and is best known for its castle and a suspension bridge that towers 142 m (466 ft) above a lucidophyllous forest.
The forest is home to oak and beech and is one of the largest evergreens in Japan. In 1984, the Teruha Suspension Bridge was built over it so that people could better connect with its nature. The bridge is 1.2 m (3.9 ft) wide and extends for 250 m (820.2 ft). It offers panoramic views of the forest and the Ayaminami River below.