20230906 シンディー
Today, I will introduce Japan’s longest cave which is named “Akkado”. Akkado Cave is located in the upper right corner of Iwaizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture, and is designated as a national natural monument in Japan. It is the longest cave in Japan with a total length of 23.7 kilometers, but its full picture has not been elucidated yet. You can observe various types of stalactites here, so I also called it a ‘museum of stalactites’.
。Cave information
・Tourist cave (first 500 meters with lights on)
Akkado Cave ticket (20230906 now)
Adults 1,000 yen
Children 600 yen
Group tickets (15 people or more)
Adult 850 yen
Children 500 yen
Business hours: 1000-1600
(09:00~16:30 during Golden Week)
Winter holidays: mid-November to mid-April. Please call them to confirm. (May be temporarily closed)
・Exploration Cave (beyond the tourist cave)
Normal tours are limited to 500 meters. However, if you want to explore it more, you must make a reservation in advance. Mr. Osaki, the underground man, will guide you to the deep underground of Akkado Cave.
Open all year round, but you need to make a reservation by phone in advance! If you want to contact him by phone, please let Mr. Osaki (090-9033-1433) know the number of people you would like to participate, the date, and the hours when you explore. In addition, the price varies depending on the number of participants and the hours.If you need help, please contact me.
Here are some notices
1.The annual average temperature of the cave is about 8 degrees, so please bring a light jacket (required!! Sports jacket are recommended!)
2.You will wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty, a change of clothes, rain boots, vinyl gloves, a helmet and a headlamp (you can rent the helmet and a headlamp).
3.Bring snacks and drinks such as candies and chocolates.
4.There is no toilet in the cave, so please bring a portable toilet or a plastic bottle (for men)
5.In case of danger , the guide may lead you to leave the cave earlier or turn back from the same route due to cave conditions on the day.
6.Beginners are advised not to book for 8 hours. It takes about 4-5 hours to reach the deepest part of the cave.
This time it is my first time exploring the natural cave, so I decide to join a 3-hour route. Here is how Akkado Cave looks like.
Preparation before entering the unknown world
While I am touring the exhibition area and sales department in the store, I discover a photo of a stalactite that looks like a dinosaur egg! I’m already excited from now! !
After paying (cash only), Mr. Osaki lend me a helmet, and the headlights are fogged up so we can see properly in the dark cave. Since we have to go up and down in the cave, I borrow knee pads from Mr. Osaki.(recommend)
Due to the effects of natural disasters such as typhoons, Akkado Cave had to be closed many times for reconstruction and reopening, which was really a tough work. Whenever I see photos of disasters, it always make me feel sad.
Here, I would like to introduce my special guest Shishi (left). She came all the way from Taiwan and traveled to Iwaizumi Town. Appreciate for that ! !
When taking this photo, I can feel the cold wind blowing from behind. If you watch the video below, you can understand how strong the wind is. The average annual temperature inside the cave is 8 degrees, so it is really cold.
When you enter Akkado Cave, you can take many wonderful photos of the limestone cave that you can only see in textbooks! This time I will briefly explain the normal route, and I will introduce them again in another article after this, so please choose which course to go depending on your needs.
If you follow the general tourist route for about 500 meters, you will see a locked iron gate at the very end! It is noted “Entrance to the Exploration Cave”! I always get excited when discovering the “Gate to the Unknown” .
After entering, Mr. Osaki put the key in an easy-to-see place and says seriously, ”If something happens to me, please use this key to open the door to rescue yourself!” ! ! ! Don’t scare me ! ! Don’t let anything happen! ! ! Suddenly, Mr. Osaki is taking something out of his bag and handing it to us!
The exciting exploration tour is about to begin!
I wander it is a rope which are going to tie us together (just kidding), but it turns out to be landmarks. It’s an “exploration tour”, so it’s up to us where to go. So, if there is a fork in the road or a two-way road where you can’t see the last landmark you put, you need to put another one in place! In case of something unexpected happened, rescue workers from outside can use these landmarks to know our route. The pointed direction is our way and also a very important highlight on our way back.
This is my personal favorite photo!
Deep inside the cave, we are the only light!
by me (Cindy)
Welcome to the magic world of limestone caves.
The clear crystals inside the cave are not ice (it is summer when we travel), but “calcite” formed by calcium carbonate. They are extremely transparent and beautiful , and can be described as a miracle of nature (in my opinion). lol
There are milky white stones and transparent stones, each with their own characteristics.
The mystery of stalactite formation
The stalactites that grow from roof to bottom are called ”stalactite”, and it takes 50 years to grow up with only 1 cm. It grows longer at first, forming a hollow “straw” that grows outward, becoming thicker and longer with each passing year. On the other hand, stalagmites grow from bottom to roof. Water droplets rich in calcium carbonate fall from roof to floor, and the calcium carbonate in them accumulates eventually, and after about 100 years it can grow 1 cm of ‘‘stalagmite”. Therefore, a person can only see 1-2 centimeter long stalactite growths in his or her lifetime. Finally, when both sides of ”stalactite” and ”stalagmite” meet each other, they will become “column“!
Mr. Osaki introduces us to the cave and explains the knowledge involved to us .
On the way to our target, we pass these stalactites, which are sandy beaches. You can see many stalactite formations in one cave, it is truly a natural “stalactite museum” in my opinion!
! ! Disgusting warning! ! (Cave creature: Millipede)
Because they are small and long, you can easily miss them if you are not paying attention on them. However, when you do find them, they live in flocks and live on bats’ dropping. Most of the creatures in the cave are related to bats, and the ecosystem is bat-centered.
………Watch out.
Also, the picture shows bat bones! !
We also found a predecessor of a stalactite that looks like a dragon’s egg (called a cave pearl)! According to Mr. Osaki, it is rolled through daily natural exercise, and gradually becomes larger and rounder, eventually becoming a cave pearl.
It is named after its shape of ”drapery”, which resembles a curtain.
“Rock annual rings” is like growth rings, and its formation and age can be understood by analysis, and its educational value is sufficiently high. (I want to take it home, just kidding)
In addition to cave pearls, we also find dragon beads! How cool it is!
As you can see in the photo below, we climb up and down, and we have a lot of fun doing it!
The unforgettable underground lake is also amazing and breathtaking! ! The color of the water is so beautiful! ! It is like the blue of bright sky, and also like green of fresh grass! To photograph the waves of water, I am almost falling into the underground lake to get in the closest contact with nature.
Here is the goal of today, “AKKAFUJI” which symbolizes the Mont.Fuji (the belief in all Japanese) in Akkado Cave ! It looks like that it will become a column soon (about 1000 years later from now?)LOL
Summary
I recommend that cave exploration is something you should do at least once in your life. Akkado Cave runs in private and tends to maintain its “natural nature“, making the tour more exciting than other outdoor adventure! Mr. Osaki, the guide who asks us to decide our route, and introduces very well. It is an adventure for only the three of us. Also, we can see how the local residents used it before.
There is no internet or toilets in the cave, so everything has returned to the origins of mankind. (LOL) Someone might always worry about being too dark and cramped to breathe inside the cave, but basically it’s a very large place inside. But only when trapped in stalactites, it is the only time to make you breathing difficulties.
Awesome
. The tour is to make you experience the feeling of a ”cave adventure” with a lot of freedom that you can choose your way.
. The introduction from Mr. Osaki is very wonderful.
. Recommend to travel with children, the cave is where you can feel the majesty of nature in an educational tour.(However, not recommend for small children)
. In winter, It’s warmer than outside, and you can see many hibernating bats .
Well
. Since it’s a private business, some things may be relatively simple.
. No shuttle bus.
. There is no introduction in Chinese or English. (disappointing)
. Itineraries may be affected by natural disasters.
. People who don’t exercise regularly may experience muscle soreness on the next day. (lol
Thanks
Shishi for experiencing with me
Osaki for guiding
