By RYO IKEDA/ Staff Writer
April 26, 2025 at 17:54 JST
MINE, Yamaguchi Prefecture--A new tour of the famed Akiyoshido cave system here, one of the largest limestone networks in Japan, offers visitors the opportunity to encounter unusual crustaceans and rock formations.
The extended hike into the cave system takes visitors to areas that were previously off-limits to the public.
One highlight is an underground lake that resembles the Blue Grotto in Capri, Italy.
Tour participants wear helmets with flashlights attached to help them keep a firm footing. Unusual crustaceans inhabit the crawling cave system.
The underground lake can be reached after an hour’s hike. The lake is about 25 meters wide and up to 10 meters deep.
There are two courses for the cave tour, with the longer one lasting about 3 and a half hours and covering a two-kilometer round trip. The shorter two-hour course involves a one-kilometer round trip.
Akiyoshido extends to a total of 11 kilometers so even the new tours cover only a small portion of the cave.
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The underground lake deep within Akiyoshido cave system in Mine, Yamaguchi Prefecture (Ryo Ikeda)
