Ryusendo Caves

Ryusendo caves background is explained by geological timescales in which the surface level water started dissolving the limestone drop by drop. This process took thousands of years and in the meantime formed stalactites and underground waters with crystal clear water. These underground lakes are very complex and deep, reaching almost 100m in depth. The exploration began in the 1920's and it was made publicly available in the 1930's. In 1938, it was recognized as a National Natural Monument.

Ryusendo caves are formed little by little when limestone is dissolved by the drops of underground water. Because of this, the cave is full of passages that end in chambers that hold underground lakes that are deep and complex. They maintain a high humidity and a cool temperature that is constant all year round. These lakes come from the ground-level water of spring water from the mountains, and this is what makes the water crystal clear. It is also filled with bats since it's a habitat for them.

I visited the Ryusendo caves in 2025 in November. I was able to see beautiful surroundings and once inside the caves I felt an incredible and relaxing silence that was only interrupted by the drops of water that kept falling into the stones. I went inside and there were parts where I had to crouch but after every hard segment of the tour, there was a beautiful view of a natural underground lake, highlighted by underwater lighting. There are bats all around the cave so one can imagine how natural and well preserved the cave is. Please visit!