Visitors looking for a cool and adventurous experience should consider visiting the Irimizu Limestone Cave (入水鍾乳洞) in Tamura City.
Perhaps less known than the nearby Abukuma Cave, the Irimizu Limestone Cave offers visitors the opportunity to venture into its depths—the narrow cave is 900 m in total and is divided into three courses (A, B and C), each more extreme than the previous one.
Visitors should bring adequate clothing and shoes, as the inside of the cave is wet and slippery with irregular rocky ground and gushing streams.
Course A is the least extreme, and the way into the cave is lit, although there are puddles and wet spots, and you will need to duck in some places since there are short and narrow spots. Course A is 150 m long and takes approx. 30 minutes to complete.
Courses B and C go through an area of the cave where there is less conditioning. Visitors have to walk while having water up to their knees and go through slippery and narrow gaps by candlelight or flashlight.
Course B is 450 m and takes about 60 minutes to complete, while course C is 300 m and takes about 90 m to complete.
Visitors hoping to undertake course C, the most difficult of the three, have to make a reservation before their visit, as the course can only be completed alongside an experienced guide. *Course C is not available and is not taking reservations as of May 2023.
The temperature inside the cave is typically between 10 and 15 degrees regardless of the season.
There are candles, rubber shoes, flashlights and other items available for renting at the entrance.
Prices are as of March 2023.
The cave has been designated as a National Natural Treasure, and it’s easy to see why. You’re bound to become a geology enthusiast after experiencing the charms of the cave.
| Website | https://abukumado.com/en/irimizusyonyudo.html |
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| Contact | Abukuma Cave Administration Office |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | Late March - Oct. 31: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.<br>Nov. 1 - Early March: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Parking | Free |
| Entrance Fee | Course A: Adults (over 16 years old): 550 yen; Children (ages 7-15): 450 yen | Course B: Adults (over 16 years old): 700 yen; Children (ages 7-15): 500 yen | Course C: Adults (over 16 years old) only 4,600 yen for up to 5 people* *Course C is by reservation only. The fee includes the guide service and entry for up to five people. Course C is not available and is not taking reservations as of May 2023. |
| Related info | Discounts apply for groups of over 15 people. |
| Access | 89-3 Sugaya Aza Dairoku, Takine-machi, Tamura City, Fukushima Prefecture View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: Approx. 1 h 10 min. from Fukushima City or 45 min. from Koriyama City by car. By Train: 30 min. walk (2.2 km) or 5 min. by taxi (Haba Taxi Abukuma Cave Business Office [羽場タクシーあぶくま洞営業所 ‘Haba Takushi Abukuma Dou Eigyou Sho’], phone no. 0247-78-3167) from Sugaya Station [菅谷駅] (JR Ban-Etsu Line). Useful Links |
This beautiful cherry blossom tree stands alone in the centre of a field. The small temple next to the tree is dedicated to the Buddhist deity of child safety & childbirth. This scenery is so beautiful - it has even been used in Japanese movie posters. Ozawa Sakura usually reaches full bloom at the end of April.
Dake Onsen is one of Japan's few naturally acidic hot spring sources. The onsen source is located some 8 kilometers away from Dake Onsen town, meaning the hot spring water must be pulled from the source, travelling for around 40 minutes before it reaches the town. During this journey, the hot water becomes softer, making it gentle on the skin. Since the Dake Onsen's hot spring waters are acidic, it is recommended that visitors rinse in the shower after bathing in the town's onsen. This onsen town is also a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing. The cherry blossom tunnel at Sakura Hill in Dake Onsen – an onsen town located on the periphery of Mt. Adatara – comes into full bloom in mid-April. Visitors are greeted with fantastic views of cherry blossom against a backdrop of Mt Adatara still sprinkled white with the remainder of last winter’s snow.
Noji Onsen is a beautifully scenic onsen resort in Adatara mountains. It is especially breathtaking when the outdoor baths, and their cloudy white waters, are surrounded by stunning snowy landscapes in winter.
Mt. Adatara is actually made up of multiple active volcanoes that form a broad mountain. It last erupted in 1996. Poems in the book Chieko-sho by Kotaro Takamura (1883-1956) helped make the mountain famous.The summit of Mt. Adatara stands at an altitude of 1700 m, stretching about 9 kilometers in a north-to-south direction. Views of Mt. Adatara are lovely in and of themselves, but the views that visitors have of the surrounding area once they reach the summit are breathtaking. Chosen as one of Japan’s top 100 mountains, as well as one of the top 100 mountains for flowers, a view spot at an altitude of 1300 m can be accessed by gondola lift. This means that it is relatively easy to climb even for beginners.On summer evenings, a light-up event inspired by the Milky Way and the flowers of Mt. Adatara is held, gracing those scaling the mountain by a gondola lift with a spectacular view. In autumn, visitors are afforded a stunning view of autumn leaves making it a popular place for scenic momiji-gari (autumn leaf viewing).Kurogane-goya Mountain Lodge (temporarily closed as of August 2023) is a rest stop for visitors (it serves as lodging for those on long hikes). Stay here overnight to sample the lodge's famous curry, which is reserved for overnight guests only. The lodge’s public hot spring facility uses naturally-sourced, cloudy hot spring water.
A world of mystical beauty created over millions of years, Abukuma Cave is said to have the greatest variety and the largest number of stalactites in the whole of Asia. It takes about an hour to explore the inner world of the cave and the terrain is easy to navigate on foot.Abukuma Cave is a limestone cave that was discovered in 1969. Inside, visitors can walk the 600-meter-long path to explore and view the beautiful cave formations. Visitors can’t help but be impressed by the beauty of these natural creations formed over the course of 80 million years. The largest hall in the cave, called Takine Goten (Takine Hall), and Tsuki no Sekai (The Moon World), is illuminated with dramatic stage lighting and is particularly impressive.Also not to be missed are the rare cave formations called boxwork, you can identify them by their unique shape; thin blades of minerals coming off the walls and ceilings forming a honeycomb or box-like pattern. Abukuma Cave is the only cave in Japan with boxwork that is open to the public. Another notable stop along the cave path is the Christmas Tree and Silver Frost; both are impressive stalagmites that resemble festive holiday trees. The Christmas Tree is over two meters tall and said to be the largest example in all of Asia.There is an additional thrilling adventure course; experience crawling through narrow passages and climbing a ladder to spectacular views over the cave! This 120-meter-long course runs parallel to the main passage, but please note that visitors may have to crawl on their hands and knees at times.When you have finished exploring the mysterious depths and come back to the surface you can find plenty of restaurants and souvenir shops. Visit from mid-June to July to see the neighbouring hillside covered in 50,000 lavender plants.
Koriyama’s Kaiseizan Park is a wide realm in the city. Home to around 1300 cherry trees, it is one of the prefecture’s most prominent cherry blossom spots. The impressive trees are lit up in the evening during cherry blossom season, making for fantastic views. The park has a baseball field, an athletics field, and an event venue. Additionally, it is home to one of Fukushima's Chansey's Lucky Parks, making it a popular destination among Pokémon fans. Located nearby is the Kaiseizan Daijingu Shrine.There is also a 3,000-square-meter rose garden that blooms in spring (typically from mid-May to late June) and in the fall (usually from mid-September to late October). Exact blooming dates vary each year.No matter the season, there is something to enjoy at Kaiseizan Park year-round.
Bandai-Azuma Lake Line is a sightseeing road that runs for 13.1 km, connecting Inawashiro Town and Kitashiobara Village. Outstanding backdrops of hundreds of lakes, including Lake Akimoto, Lake Onogawa, and Lake Hibara can be seen from along the road. The Nakatsugawa Valley, which lies half-way along the route, offers a wonderful view of a combination of rock surfaces polished by strong water currents and woodland greenery. A rest-house area with washrooms stands near the valley and visitors can enjoy trekking along the walking trails from the season of fresh green leaves through to the end of the season of red and yellow foliage. The valley is particularly famous as one of the most scenic foliage-viewing spots in Japan with many photographers visiting from both inside and outside of the prefecture. Enjoy a beautiful drive through this landscape when the new leaves of spring are fresh and green or when the autumn beauty of the valley glistens with red and yellow foliage of beeches, buckeyes, and maples.
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