With its more than 110 monster legends, Yamashiro (Oboke) located in Miyoshi city, Tokushima prefecture is monster country!
This is an area that is also said to be the hometown of Konaki Jijii who appears in GeGeGe no Kitaro (a Japanese comic and animation series).

Within the Roadside Station Oboke building, located along the river in Oboke Gorge, Yoshino River’s middle basin, you can meet monsters from numerous legends in the “monster house”.

At the entrance, there is a photo cutout panel typical of sightseeing areas.
Let’s take a photograph like we are one of the monsters, too!

When you enter the monster house, the first one to welcome you is a giant tengu (a long-nosed goblin).
The red face looking down on the guests from the roof and sharp expression are quite intense.

In addition, there are monsters that live by water, Enko that tries to steal the shirikodama (a mythical ball said to contain the soul), the money-borrowing monster, the mean bald tanuki fox, and other slightly scary but somehow funny monsters just waiting for you.
There is also a dark and scaaary space within the building, something to look forward to?!

On the second floor of the monster house there is a stone museum that features the rudaceous schist, which has been designated as a Tokushima natural monument, as well as precious stones and ores found around the world.

Among the stones, there is a mysterious must-see stone that emits light!

Nearby Roadside Station Oboke there is a road called ‘yokaikaidou’ (‘monster road’). It’s a normal mountain road, but you can find monster monuments set here and there. Further on there is a statue of Naki Jijii.
As it’s within walking distance of the roadside station, we recommend you take a stroll along it!

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Roadside Station Oboke:

Location: 1553-1 Kamimyo, Yamashiro-cho, Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture
TEL: 0883-84-1489

Open: 9:00〜17:00
Holidays: Open every day from March to the end of November. Closed every Monday from December to the end of February (If Monday is a public holiday, the station is open on that day, but closed the next)
Fees: Adults JPY500, Elementary & Middle School Students JPY300
Parking for 53 cars
Homepage: http://wx07.wadax.ne.jp/~yamashiro-info-jp/cp-bin/wordpress/ (Japanese)

Setouchi Finder Photo-writer: Daisuke Chiba