Last week I went to Yamaguchi Prefecture for some work-related reasons.

After I finished my duty there, however, I visited the cave called 'Akiyoshido'.

Actually I've been to Akiyoshido before (I think I was 5 years old at the time),
and if there was a chance again to visit Yamaguchi-ken, I would absolutely go to there.

I visited Akiyoshido yesterday because I remember that when I first saw the cave as a child I got a huge shock,
The cave was sooooooooo amazing.

 

Well, Let's learn all about Akiyoshido!

Akiyoshido (秋芳洞) is the largest cave in Japan and the second largest in all of Asia.

Akiyoshido is a masterpiece of natural art and is located under Akiyoshidai

which is the largest karst formation in Japan.

 

 

The cave entrance is northwest of Yamaguchi City in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

 

 

This unique karst landscape covers a total of 130 square kilometers and contains more than 300 caves.

The temperature in the cave stays constant all year (about 17℃).

 

The cave was named "Akiyoshido" by Crown Prince Showa during his visit in 1926.

Before, it was (not so imaginatively) called Taki-ana or waterfall hole.

Akiyoshido took over 300,000 years to form and is still slowly being shaped by water flowing out of the karst plateau above.

 

 

The main enterance to the cave is at the bottom of the plateau

where the river of water following out from the cave exits.

 

 

Walking through the tall and narrow entrance slit reveals a seemingly impossible sized space

which is up to 100 meters wide.

 

 'Long deep water'

 

Portions are so wide and tall that it ceases to feel like you're in a cave.

For that matter, the faux-wood fence on the concrete path and flood lights don't help either.

It feels a bit like a cathedral.

 

 

 

It's not the most spectacularly beautiful cave in its lower sections for the most part.

Colored flood lights are used to dress up what is really mostly only mottled brown rocks.

 

 

 

Its sheer size more than makes up for this and

midway through there are a number of interesting distinctive rock formations.

The highest accessible area where the path leaves the underground river packs in a lot more interesting features.

 

 

 

 

In all, about 1.5 km of cave tunnels can be trekked through.

It takes about 1 hour to have a look at a cave but I was in the cave for 2 hours.

 

When i was 5 years old I got a huge shock because the cave was soooooooooooooooooooo amazing.

This time was no different! I had that same impression again!

I'm happy that I didn't lose that pure, innocent kid's mind!

 

 

Ahhhh I really like the amazing cave!

It was a really lovely day!

Next year I wanna take Pikun with me

 

 

 

  Please look at more photos in Akiyoshido album.

 

 

Souvenirs from Akiyoshido

 

 

Stalactite　(brown, \100) and Marble (pink, \250)

Can you see growth rings?

 

 

The right side is the upper part of the icicle.
The left is the lower part of the icicle.

My ex colleagues visited Matsumoto for a 2days trip which was last fri,

and they invited me to join with then. It's the absolutely enjoyable trip.

 

It's a second time to go to trips with them.

 

I haven't seen them for a year and was very excited to see them.

I couldn't stop smiling when I met them :D

They were very nice as same as when I worked with them.

Their smiles reminded me old memories that we've always bonded, we had a good teamwork.

We were the best group :D

 

Well,

When I met them they've already drunk soooooooo I needed to catch up with them :P

I drunk cans of beer and I quickly got drunk :P

 

Sorry, our faces are top secret coz of our job! hehe

 

We went to a hot springs where is called Asama onsen, and had a very nice outside hot springs.

It's neither big nor small but I could see stars in the night sky. It's beautiful.

The chilly winds made my body cool down. I felt sooooooo 'BLISS'.

I wanted to take a photo but there were already guests were having a bath, so I couldn't take photos. That was shame.

 

 

After that we had a dinner.

 

 

It's a break fast.

 

 

Then we chatted till very late night with beer and slept with them again a room :P

 

Next day, It's was a brilliant day. The sun was bloody shining.

It's just started rainy season in Matsumoto but there was nooooooo rain.

We were lucky :D

We visited some place and enjoyed walking.

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't know there are very beautiful nature near my house:D

 

 

I should buy a car (a cube car) so that I can visit peaceful places for relaxing :D

 

It's a wasabi softcream.

YUMMY!

 

 

It was our plan I said good bye to them in Matsumoto but it was soooo hard to say,

and they said come with us to Hachiouji where is their home town

and it also was my home town so I decided to head to Hachiouji with them.

 

On the way to go to Hachiouji we saw Mt Fuji very clearly.

 

After 3 hours driving we arrived there and I said good bye to them.

and I headed to MATSUMOTO AGAIN! This time was an express train tho :P

 

Ahhhh I miss them very much.

They were the best collegues in my life!

 

I wish I could work with them in future :D

The boss who always looked after me gave me a cute doll.

It's a misicbox in its body and when the music is on the face moves side to another side.

SOooooooo CUTE. Love it.