Driving in shikoku

We plan to be on Shikoku in 2 wks time & is contemplating if driving is cheaper than Shikoku pass. We have 4 person & plan to go to iya valley fr takamatsu & then to matsuyama, back to tokushima. Do we need to use toll road from takamatsu to matsuyama & how much is the toll? Is the road to iya valley very difficult & dangerous to drive?
Hope to get your guidance. Thanks in advance

Toll charge from Takamatsu to Matsuyama is roughly 3840 yen. If you don�ft mind a longer drive you can choose not to use expressway. Driving around Iya Valley and Oboke Gorge is not dangerous but is indeed a bit difficult and challenging as the mt roads are narrow and winding.

Take a look at another recent thread and see if any of the discussion is of use to you.
http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+150923

Depends on where you are going in Iya Valley if your going to the most popular vine rope bridge the road to the touristy vine rope bridge is 2 lane all the way there although its a bit steep and winding in one spot but otherwise not that hard to drive. If you want to go to the less known "male" and "female" rope bridges that are with the monkey bridge all 3 bridges side by side those 3 lesser known bridges are on a more difficult road to get to but neater to see, especially the monkey bridge. Getting around Shikoku is a bit more difficult by public transportation so driving there is probably a better option.

Thanks. I will likely drive to iya valley and take train in between takamatsu & matsuyama, just need to watch the train schedule. We plan to take bus from tokushima to Osaka, but on the way would like to stop by for the naruto whirlpool. Is there a bus that will stop there and we can take another bus later to osaka, any baggage Locker at the bus station. Or it would be better to go back tokushima city and take bus directly from there?