Taisho Cave

 

After descending from the Akiyoshidai plateau, I visited another of the 400 caves that extend underneath it.

The first hundred meters or so of the cave was used in earlier times by local people to hide their livestock during times of war and banditry and was known as Ushikakunodo, or "cow hiding hole".

In 1921, early Taisho Period, the deeper reaches of the cave were first explored and so it was named Taishodo.

The cave consists of a series of chambers arranged vertically.

The public section covers about a kilometer, and while not as dramatic as Akiyoshido, the fact that I was able to explore alone was a big plus.

In 1970 a tunnel was made connecting the upper level to the outside so that visitors can exit without having to return the way they came.

Taisho Cave is a National Natural Monument as well as being part of the Mine Akiyoshidai Geopark.

The five levels of the cave system are named with the lowest being Hell, and the highest being Heaven. many of the festures of the cave are also named, including Cow Hideout, Niomon Gate, Yoromeki Passage, Otowa Falls, Child-rearing Kannon, Pine Trees in the Snow, Lion Rock, Lotus Pond, Cave Pool, Romance Passage, Jellyfish Rock, and Okunoin.

There is an infrequent bus service to and from Hagi.

The previous post in this series on day 28 of my walk along the Chugoku Pilgrimage was on the early morning walk across the Akiyoshidai Plateau to get to the cave.

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