大正洞

Taishōdō - Taisho-do - Taishodo - Taisho Cave - Labyrinth cave


Useful Information

Location: 2666-1 Mitochoaka, Mine 754-0302 Yamaguchi Prefecture.
(34.276695, 131.320338)
Open: All year daily 8:30-17:15, last entry 16:30.
[2022]
Fee: Adults JPY 1,000, Children (6-11) JPY 560.
Groups (20+): Adults JPY 860, Children (15-17) JPY 690, Children (12-14) JPY 600, Children (6-11) JPY 350.
Groups (100+): Adults JPY 810, Children (15-17) JPY 640, Children (12-14) JPY 550, Children (6-11) JPY 330.
Taishodo + Kagekiyodō combo: Adults JPY 1,500, Children (6-11) JPY 840.
Groups (20+): Adults JPY 1,290, Children (15-17) JPY 1,035, Children (12-14) JPY 900, Children (6-11) JPY 525.
Groups (100+): Adults JPY 1,215, Children (15-17) JPY 960, Children (12-14) JPY 825, Children (6-11) JPY 495.
[2022]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours: self guided, D=40 min. Audioguide.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Taishodo Information Center, 2666-1 Mitōchōaka, Mine-shi, 754-0302 Yamaguchi-ken, Tel: +81-8396-2-0605, Tel: +81-8396-2-0343, Fax: +81-8396-2-0601.
Akiyoshidai Eco Museum, 2368-1 Mitochoaka, Mine, Yamaguchi 754-0302, Tel: +81-8396-2-2622. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

15-JAN-1921 cave discovered.

Description

大正洞 (Taishōdō) is a dripstone cave with various speleothems. The cave system has five distinct levels, which are connected by shafts. The cave is located at the northeastern end of Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park.

The cave was called 牛隠しの洞 (Ushi kakushi no hora, Cow Hiding Cave) by the locals, as they were hiding their cows inside the cave during wartime, so they could not be stolen. We are not sure which wars they are talking about, as the cave was discovered in 1921. As far as we know, Japan participated only in one war since then, World War II. We guess the cave was known for a rather long time, but only the entrance part, and the year 1921 is the time when the huge cave system behind was explored for the first time. Unfortunately the cave is privately owned, and all websites are just copies of the same marketing text by the operator.

Close to the cave entrance is the 秋吉台エコ・ミュージアムは (Akiyoshidai eko myūjiamu wa, Akiyoshidai Eco Museum). It is one of the Visitor Centers of Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park and a good source of information. The cave and museum share the same parking lot. From the parking lot there is a paved footpath named ロマンロード (Romantic Road) with marble columns on both sides planted with wisteria trellis flowers. It runs along the road to the cave entrance and ticket office. This was the first cave in Japan which introduced an audioguide system with music and explanatory texts.