CAVE EXPERIENCE
Ryusendo Cave
Iwaizumi Town, Shimohei District, Iwate Prefecture
Ryusendo Cave
Ryusendo is one of Japan’s three great limestone caves, designated a National Natural Monument in 1938 as Iwaide Spring Cave and Bats. Surveys continue to this day, and the cave’s total length is estimated to exceed 5,000 meters. The most recently confirmed total extension is over 4,088 meters, with a vertical range of plus or minus 195 meters. Approximately 700 meters are open to tourists, featuring a mystical cave space extending straight from the entrance, and underground lakes filled with exceptionally clear water that glow with a Dragon Blue brilliance.
ACCESS
Iwate Prefecture
Total About 6h 50m
ShinkansenAbout 2h 30m
ShinkansenAbout 2h 10m
BusAbout 2h 10m
Underground Lakes
The greatest highlight of Ryusendo is its underground lakes, glowing deep blue in what is called Dragon Blue. The tourist course takes visitors from the First Underground Lake, discovered in surveys in the 1950s, to the Third Underground Lake, which boasts a maximum depth of 98 meters. The mineral-rich water of Ryusendo, nourished by the surrounding forest, is used as drinking water for Iwaizumi Town and is also popular as a souvenir.
