Ryūga Cave

Ryūga Cave
龍河洞
Map showing the location of Ryūga Cave
Map showing the location of Ryūga Cave
LocationKami City, Kōchi Prefecture
Coordinates33°36′12″N 133°44′43″E / 33.6032°N 133.7453°E / 33.6032; 133.7453
AccessPublic
Show cave opened4 kilometers
Show cave length1 kilometer
LightingYes
WebsiteOfficial website

The Ryūga Cave (龍河洞, Ryūgadō),[1] also known as Ryuga Cave[2][3] or Ryugado Cave,[4] is a limestone cave located in Kami City, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.[5] It is one of the three largest limestone caves in Japan, [6] with a total length of 4 kilometers.[7] The cave has been designated as a National Natural monument of Japan.[8]

Overview

The cave took roughly 175 million years to form.[9]

Dozens of examples of Yayoi pottery, furnace remains, charcoal, and animal bones were discovered inside the cave, indicating that people were living in the cave during the Yayoi period approximately 2,000 years ago. For this reason, the cave was designated a National Historic Site in 1934.[10]

The cave was opened to the public in August 1931; about a one kilometer portion is a show cave with illumination, stairways and marked paths.[11]

  • West Entrance
    West Entrance
  • Exit
    Exit
  • Museum
    Museum
  • Cave formations
    Cave formations
  • Cave formations
    Cave formations
  • illumination
    illumination
  • Yayoi pottery
    Yayoi pottery

See also

References

  1. ^ "Kōchi's Ryūga Cave: A Mysterious Realm of Stalactites". Nippon.com. Aug 25, 2018.
  2. ^ New Japan, Volume 2. Mainichi Newspapers. 1949.
  3. ^ "Three power stations in Kochi Prefecture". Excite. Nov 16, 2020.
  4. ^ "New cave experience in west Japan offers chance for real adventure, discovery". Mainichi Shimbun. April 30, 2021.
  5. ^ "Ryuga Cave will be released with a new look on July 6th". United Daily News. 2019-07-03.
  6. ^ "Safety Prayers for New Route Opening". The Asahi Shimbun. 2021-04-30.
  7. ^ "4 Popular Attractions in Kochi". United Daily News. 2019-07-13.
  8. ^ "The Shikoku Transport Bureau announced the number of tourists to major tourist destinations in Shikoku". Mainichi Shimbun. 2020-02-06.
  9. ^ "Visit Kochi Japan" (PDF). Japan National Tourism Organization. Retrieved 2021-08-03.
  10. ^ "龍河洞". Cultural Heritage Online (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  11. ^ "A new attraction at the Ryuga Cave". The Asahi Shimbun. 2021-05-01.

Media related to Ryuga Cave at Wikimedia Commons

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