Abandoned overgrown village path through lush foliage.
Natures Embrace: An Overgrown Path Winds Through an Abandoned Rural Village.

Itaibara : Tottori’s Forgotten Hamlet

Quitting the autoroute that leads to the town of Chizu, I take a mountain road. It’s typical of this terrain where you often come across deer, foxes, monkeys, sometimes even bears, especially early morning just before sunrise.

Barely 5 kilometres further on, I drive through a rather dark tunnel where it’s impossible to pass each other. At the exit, I’ve reached Itaibara.

This is in the heart of the mountains of Tottori prefecture. Below a layer of ferns and moss, the old village breathes sweetly. In its heyday the village flourished thanks to the raising of silkworms and the production of charcoal. Reached only by an ancient track, it was cut off from the world and modernization never happened. It’s said that no car has ever entered the village, and even today you have to park outside.

After the tunnel was built in 1967, the 120 residents preferred the easier life offered by the nearby town of Chizu, closer to their families. But many of the villagers carried on growing vegetables there, such as daikon – the celebrated giant radish – while discussing the gloomy destiny of Itaibara, among the ruined houses. The vegetables here have a distinctive taste because until 1960 the land was regularly cleared by burning.

Since 2004, the village has been protected by the prefecture. At the time of writing, only the Nodoka café and the Himaji restaurant still liven up the place. As visitors are rare, these aren’t always open, so best check first. Fell in love with the café, which offers toasted sandwiches made with local produce. And the café is ideally located by the river, which is the only thing that makes itself heard in the village.

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Jordy Meow
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I am Jordy Meow, a French photographer based in Tokyo. I explore offbeat places in Japan.

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In whispers of green, A windmill twirls tales untold, Red roofs fade in time. 静かな緑の中で、 風車が語らぬ物語を回し、 赤い屋根が時と共に消えていく。#windmilltales #rusticcharm #natureandcity #urbanserenity #japancontrast #offbeatjapan #japan
Rust cliffs kiss the sea, Turquoise whispers secrets deep— Nature's vivid brush. 崖が海と キスをしながら蒼き 自然の筆。 #offbeatjapan #japan #coastallandscapes #volcanicisland #naturelovers #stunningviews #wanderlust #cliffside
Rust embraces gray tones, Moss dances in vivid green— Nature's quiet claim.錆びた灰色に抱かれ 苔が鮮やかに踊る 自然の静かなる主張#offbeatjapan #japan #industrialart #rustandruin #naturewins #urbanexploration #mossybeauty
Concrete gray fortress Amidst the blue sea's embrace— Silent echoes speak. コンクリートの城 青い海の抱擁の中で— 静かな声が響く。 #Gunkanjima #HashimaIsland #BattleshipIsland #Nagasaki #Urbex #offbeatjapan #japan
Ancient coaster sleeps, Twilight whispers pinks and blues, Nature reclaims all. 崩れたコースターが眠る、 薄桃色と青の夜明けのささやき、 自然が全てを取り戻す。 #offbeatjapan #japan #abandonedplaces #rollercoaster #twilightbeauty #nostalgia #naturestriumph #forgottenamusement
Pink blossoms whisper, Quiet streets cradle old tales, Sky and mountains dream.桃の花囁く、 静かな道に古い物語を抱え、 空と山は夢見る。#cherryblossoms #japanesetradition #countrysidecharm #historicaljapan #sakura #offbeatjapan #japan
Dust veils whispered past, Ghostly echoes cradle dreams, Where silence presides.静寂の中で、 囁かれた夢は、 埃に包まれる。#offbeatjapan #japan #urbandecay #abandonedplaces #hauntingbeauty #forgottenworlds #silenthalls #explorejapan
Yellow noren glow, In a calm, verdant alley— Silent history.---黄色の暖簾、 静かな緑の小路に— 静寂の歴史。---#japanesehistory #traditionaljapan #serenealley #historicdistrict #japanesearchitecture #offbeatjapan #japan