Usa City Tourism Association

　

The southern end of the Innai area borders Kusu Town, and on the Kusu Town side there is Nishi-Shiiya Falls, whose water source is Hinasedai. In the adjacent Nishi-Shiya district of our area, the water becomes the Era River and flows north, and in the Mimata district in the south near the Usa area, it joins the Tsubo River that flows out of the Ajimu Basin to become the Ekidate River. Additionally, as the Era River flows north through the eastern part of the Innai area, many rivers flowing from the western hills join together, and each basin is a valley-bottom plain with developed river terraces.

The representative cultural property of Innai is the three carved wooden Buddhas of Ryugan-ji Temple, which are characterized by the style of the Heian period, and are designated as important cultural properties of the country along with the hall of worship. There is a theory that this temple was one of the 49 temples built by Gyoki Bodhisattva, so the name Innai originated, but it is also possible that it is related to Ajimu Temple, which is named after the place named Kurain.

In addition, Myokendake Castle overlooking the Usa Plain was the base of the Ouchi clan, the guardian of Buzen, during the Muromachi period, but from 1556 it came under the control of the Otomo clan and became the key castle for Buzen rule. The remains of structures such as a vertical moat and earthworks are well preserved at the summit.

This area has deep rivers and valleys, so villages are scattered and isolated. Stone arch bridges were built to connect villages, and there are currently 75 of them in existence, the highest concentration in Japan.

In recent years, the conical mountain towering over Nishi-Shiiya Village has become a hot topic of conversation as the "Machu Picchu of Usa" because it resembles Huayna Picchu, the highest peak of Machu Picchu, a world heritage site. In addition, the Yabakei welded tuff caused by a volcanic eruption about 400,000 years ago solidified and eroded with the same quality and hardness, resulting in the creation of the Takkiri Valley, a monolithic, flat river bed that stretches for 2 km.

National Route 387 runs along the Era River. As you travel over a difference in elevation of about 500m, you can enjoy the landscape with its varied elevations, including the Ryogo Rice Terraces, selected as one of Japan's top one hundred rice terraces, and the stone bridges reminiscent of stone art. Yuzu and loach are shipped all over the country as specialty products.