Akiyoshido Cave
A limestone cave 100 meters beneath Akiyoshidai park, with a kilometer-long walkway inside.
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Akiyoshido Cave
SaveA limestone cave 100 meters beneath Akiyoshidai park, with a kilometer-long walkway inside.
Inside the cave the temperature holds near 17°C all year, so the walk stays cool even in midsummer.
MoreWhat kind of place
The mouth of Akiyoshido opens at the southern foot of Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park, a protected area one rank below Japan's national parks.
The cave itself runs about 330 feet (100 m) beneath the plateau, one of the largest limestone caves in the country and a nationally designated Special Natural Monument.
Surveyors have mapped more than 7 miles (11.2 km) of passage, the second-longest in Japan, and about half a mile of that is laid out as the visitor route.
The route is built around named formations: Aotenjo, Hyakumaizara, Kasazukushi, Ogonbashira, and Gankutsuo. A combination ticket called Akiyoshidai Santo Monogatari adds two more caves nearby — Taishodo and Kagekiyodo.
Sources and evidence (3)
- The approach to the entrance passes through a stand of cedars where the air is already cold.source
- The features singled out inside are the main entrance, Aotenjo, Hyakumaizara, Kasazukushi, Ogonbashira, and Gankutsuo.source
- A published map of Akiyoshido marks the parking lots, bus stops, restrooms, and wheelchair-accessible areas.source
With kidsThe part that matters
The walk to the entrance goes through a stand of cedars where the air has already turned cold.
Inside, the visitor route runs about half a mile past formations that carry their own names: Hyakumaizara (the hundred plates) and Ogonbashira (the golden pillar).
The cave holds a steady 63°F (17°C) every day of the year, so one light layer covers it no matter what the weather is doing outside.
Wheelchairs are loaned free at the tourism center desk and can be reserved ahead, though only part of the cave is passable on wheels; finding that stretch on the map first tells you how far you can go before you set off.
Figure about an hour to walk through, or 90 minutes if you come back the same way — or ride the elevator partway along, which brings you out on the plateau and saves the return walk.
Sources and evidence (4)
- With a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old, 2km there and back. Strollers and wheelchairs reach only to the Hyakumaizara pools.source
- August, ages 6 and 10: 33C outside, around 20C inside — bring a thin long sleeve. Strollers can be left at the entrance.source
- December, ages 6 and 5: warm enough inside to shed a down coat. Wet, slippery floors. The stroller path stops midway.source
- Three entrances: front, elevator, Kurotani. The elevator's last run is 16:50 — a sign was up at 17:00. Bus, one an hour.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1The way to the entrance runs through a stand of cedars where the air already turns cool. Inside, the cave holds a steady 17°C the year round, so the walk 100 meters below ground stays cool in summer and warm in winter.The cave stays at 17°C whatever the season, so carry an extra layer even in midsummer. Wheelchairs are lent free at the information desk on 1F of the Akiyoshidai Tourist Information Center and can be reserved in advance — but only part of the cave can be covered in one, so check the published map for the wheelchair-accessible area first. The same map shows the car parks, bus stops and restrooms. Whether a stroller can be taken round is not published.
- Ages 2-3The sightseeing route inside is about one kilometer, and each highlight has a name of its own — the main entrance, Aotenjo, Hyakumaizara, Kasazukushi, Koganebashira and Gankutsuo. If small legs give out, an elevator partway along the route takes you up to Akiyoshidai and the karst observatory.Reckon on about 60 minutes inside the cave, or about 90 minutes there and back. The Kurotani and Akiyoshidai information offices stop taking cave entries at 16:30 whatever the season. Restroom locations are on the published map. The municipal car parks 1 and 2 by the main entrance charge 500 yen a day for a car (2.5 m height limit), while the car parks by the Kurotani entrance and by the elevator entrance are free.
- Ages 4-6A child of this age can walk the whole kilometer of the route on their own feet. The cave runs over 11.2 kilometers in total, the second longest in Japan, and is designated a national Special Natural Monument. There are guided geo-tours you can sign up for on the day, and the elevator partway along the route brings you out onto Akiyoshidai at the karst observatory.Entry and closing times are 9:00-16:30 in normal months, 9:00-17:30 in the busy season from 1 July to 30 September, and 8:30-17:30 on the Golden Week and Obon dates set each year (for FY2026: 27 April-7 May and 8-16 August). The cave is open every day of the year, the New Year period included. Admission runs on a seasonal sliding scale: normally 1,600 yen for high-school age and up, 1,300 yen for junior-high students and 850 yen for elementary students; 1,900 yen for adults in the busy season; and 1,350 yen for adults and 700 yen for elementary students in the quiet season from 1 December to the end of February.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayThe one-kilometer tour route runs inside the cave, 100 meters under Akiyoshidai, and takes about 60 minutes (about 90 minutes round trip). You reach the entrance through a stand of cedars. Inside, the temperature holds at 17°C all year.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed1.5 h
How was it with your kids?
Not greatGreat
Family checks✓ easy for your family
- ElevatorElevator：with conditionsconditions
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：with conditionsconditions
- RentalStroller rental：not checked
- Nursingchecked, no recordNursing space：checked, no record
- ChangingDiaper changing table：not checked
- Family WCFamily restroom：none
- Kids' toiletchecked, no recordKids' toilet seat & step stool：checked, no record
- Own foodOutside food allowed：none
- EnglishEnglish support：with conditionsconditions
Tap a mark for details
* Other not checked (1)
Diaper disposal bin
* Not at this spot — nearest options (1)
- Diaper changing table: not at the spot itself. We read 88 pages and found 1 nearby instead.
- There is no baby changing table inside the cave. The two outside it are at the Akiyoshido Fureai Hiroba plaza next to the main-entrance parking lot and at Akiyoshidai Ryokuchi Park on the plateau where the elevator comes out; none is listed at the Kurotani or elevator-entrance information offices. source
Green = we confirmed it. Gray = not checked yet. Gray with a line through = the place does not have it. Gray with “checked, no record” under it = we looked, but found no record of it.
Worth a look before you go
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
With a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old, 2km there and back. Strollers and wheelchairs reach only to the Hyakumaizara pools.
We took a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old into Akiyoshido
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
August, ages 6 and 10: 33C outside, around 20C inside — bring a thin long sleeve. Strollers can be left at the entrance.
Akiyoshido review: we went with our 6-year-old and 10-year-old daughters
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
December, ages 6 and 5: warm enough inside to shed a down coat. Wet, slippery floors. The stroller path stops midway.
Yamaguchi with children: Akiyoshido and the Akiyoshidai safari park
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Three entrances: front, elevator, Kurotani. The elevator's last run is 16:50 — a sign was up at 17:00. Bus, one an hour.
Akiyoshido and Akiyoshidai by car or on foot: two routes that work with small children
Akiyoshido Cave · Links & reads ▾
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Where it is
3449-1 Shuhocho-Akiyoshi, Mine-shi, Yamaguchi 754-0511source2
Before you go
- Groups alone can arrange entry outside normal hours, between 7:00 and 18:00, by reserving in advance.source
- Wheelchairs are loaned free at the first-floor information desk of the Akiyoshidai Tourism and Exchange Center, and can be reserved ahead.source
- Guided geo tours can be signed up for on the day.source
- Group geo guides are booked through the Mine Akiyoshidai Geopark Center, called Karster, no later than seven days before the date. A guide takes up to 10 people as a rule, the group meets at the Kurotani office, the tour runs an hour and a half, and it costs 4,750 yen per guide on top of admission.source
- Group reservations go through the Kurotani office at 0837-62-0103, and the reservation form is distributed in Excel and PDF.source
Basics
- Fee：Prices were revised on 1 April 2026 and now change with the season. Normally ¥1,600 for adults (high school and up), ¥1,300 for junior high and ¥850 for elementary school. In the busy season — Golden Week (27 April-7 May) and summer (1 July-31 August) — the adult price rises to ¥1,900 while children stay the same. From 1 December to the end of February it drops to ¥1,350 / ¥1,050 / ¥700. Groups of 20 or more pay ¥1,350 for adults, ¥1,100 for high school, ¥950 for junior high and ¥650 for elementary. A disability certificate halves the individual price for the holder and one companion. A combined ticket, 'Akiyoshidai Santo Monogatari', covers Akiyoshido, Taishodo and Kagekiyodo. Show your stub from Akiyoshidai Safari Land at whichever place you visit second for a discount.source
- Hours：Open every day of the year, including the new year holidays. Reception and closing are 9:00-16:30 for most of the year, 9:00-17:30 in the busy season (1 July-30 September), and 8:30-17:30 on set Golden Week and Obon dates (for 2026: 27 April-7 May and 8-16 August; these dates change each year). The Kurotani and Akiyoshidai information offices stop taking entries at 16:30 whatever the season. Groups can arrange in advance to enter outside these hours, between 7:00 and 18:00.source
- Time to allow：1.5 h
- Booking：Individual visitors buy at the entrance. Guided geo-tours are run and can be joined on the day. Group bookings go through the Kurotani information office; a group can also arrange, in advance, to enter outside normal hours (7:00-18:00). A guide for a group is booked through the Mine Akiyoshidai Geopark Center at least seven days ahead, ¥4,750 per guide on top of admission, for up to about ten people, meeting at Kurotani for an hour and a half.source
Basics in detail (27)
Other
- The cave is at 3449-1 Akiyoshi, Shuho-cho, Mine, Yamaguchi.source
- Its coordinates are 34.2276821, 131.3039022, the point the map link on the spot page opens in Google Maps.source
- It opens at the southern foot of Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park, a protected area one rank below Japan's national parks, about 330 feet (100 m) below the surface, and is one of the largest limestone caves in Japan.source
- It is designated a Special Natural Monument by the national government.source
Time to allow
Hours and closures
- In the normal season, entry and closing run 9:00 to 16:30.source
- In the busy season, July 1 to September 30, entry and closing run 9:00 to 17:30.source
- On set Golden Week and Obon dates, April 27 to May 7 and August 8 to 16 in fiscal 2026, hours are 8:30 to 17:30, and those dates change from year to year.source
- The Kurotani and Akiyoshidai offices stop taking entries at 16:30 no matter the season.source
- The cave is open every day of the year, including the New Year holidays.source
Fees
- Admission was revised on April 1, 2026 and now shifts with the season.source
- The regular individual rate is 1,600 yen for adults, meaning high school age and up, 1,300 yen for junior high students, and 850 yen for elementary students.source
- The peak rate, covering Golden Week from April 27 to May 7 and summer from July 1 to August 31, is 1,900 yen for adults, 1,300 yen for junior high students, and 850 yen for elementary students.source
- The off-season rate, December 1 through the end of February, is 1,350 yen for adults, 1,050 yen for junior high students, and 700 yen for elementary students.source
- Groups of 20 to 99 pay 1,350 yen for adults, 1,100 yen for high school students, 950 yen for junior high students, and 650 yen for elementary students.source
- Holders of a physical disability certificate, a mental health certificate, or an intellectual disability certificate pay half the individual rate, and one companion gets the same.source
- A combination ticket called Akiyoshidai Santo Monogatari covers three caves: Akiyoshido, Taishodo, and Kagekiyodo.source
- If you also go to Akiyoshidai Safari Land, showing the stub from whichever you visit first gets you a discount at the second, though the shared discount ticket ended on March 31, 2026.source
- The bus between Shin-Yamaguchi Station and the Akiyoshido bus center costs 1,170 yen and runs daily on Bocho Bus, with some departures suspended.source
- The two city lots near the main entrance, the first with 200 spaces and the second with 300, charge 500 yen per car for one entry a day, take motorcycles free in the first lot only, and cap vehicle height at 8 feet (2.5 m).source
Getting there
- From JR Shin-Yamaguchi Station it is about 40 minutes by bus to the Akiyoshido stop.source
- From Yamaguchi Ube Airport, the train takes about 45 minutes to Shin-Yamaguchi Station, and the bus about 40 minutes from there.source
- By car it is 5 minutes from the Akiyoshidai interchange on the Ogori-Hagi Road, reached by way of the Mine-Higashi junction on the Chugoku Expressway.source
- The lot near the Kurotani entrance, with room for 120 cars and 10 buses, and the lot near the elevator entrance, with room for 150 cars and 2 buses, are both free.source
- By bus it is about 60 minutes from JR Yamaguchi Station, about 50 from JR Mine Station, about 70 from JR Higashi-Hagi Station, and about 120 from JR Shimonoseki Station.source
Contact
- General inquiries go to the information desk at the Akiyoshidai Tourism and Exchange Center, run by the Mine City Tourism Association, at 0837-62-0115.
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (8)
- Official: Indoor / outdoor, Elevator, Stroller access notes
- kosodateruru.com: Stroller friendly, Best-fit ages (guide)
- deony.blog.fc2.com: Stroller friendly
- barrier-free.net: Family restroom
- Official: English support
- Official: Family restroom
- kosodateruru.com: Outside food allowed
- kurohirame.hatenadiary.com: Family restroom
- rurubu.jp: Best-fit ages (guide)
The cave runs more than 11.2 kilometers in total, the second longest in Japan, and is a designated Special Natural Monument. The path in passes through a cold stand of cedars before the mouth opens up. About a kilometer of it is open as a walking route. Formations along the way carry names: Hyakumaizara, Ogonbashira, Gankutsuo. An elevator partway along brings you out on the Akiyoshidai plateau at the karst viewpoint. Guided geo-tours can be joined on the day.
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | The path to the mouth of the cave runs outdoors through a stand of cedars; the tour route itself is underground, 100m below the plateau. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | karusuto.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator | Yes | There is an elevator part-way along the cave route, used to come out on the Akiyoshidai plateau at the karst viewpoint. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | karusuto.com |
| Stroller access notesExtra info — guide only | Yes | By bus it is about 40 minutes from JR Shin-Yamaguchi station to the Akiyoshido stop (¥1,170, Bocho Bus), about 60 minutes from JR Yamaguchi, 50 from Mine, 70 from Higashi-Hagi and 120 from Shimonoseki; from Yamaguchi Ube Airport, take the train to Shin-Yamaguchi (about 45 minutes) and then the bus. By car it is 5 minutes from the Akiyoshidai interchange on the Ogori-Hagi road; the two municipal parking lots by the main entrance hold 200 and 300 cars at ¥500 per car per day with a 2.5m height limit, while the lots at the Kurotani entrance (120 cars) and the elevator entrance (150 cars) are free. Wheelchairs are lent free at the first-floor desk of the Akiyoshidai Tourist Exchange Center and can be reserved, but only part of the cave can be covered on wheels, so check the map of the wheelchair-accessible area before you go (it also shows the parking lots, bus stops and toilets). | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | karusuto.com |
| Stroller friendly | Yes | A stroller can go only as far as the middle of the route: the path is flat for about the first quarter from the main entrance, and the later highlights such as Gankutsuo are out of reach on wheels. Some parents leave the stroller at the entrance and switch to a baby carrier, which lets you walk the whole route. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’25 | kosodateruru.comameblo.jpdeony.blog.fc2.com |
| Diaper changing table | Not checked yet | ||||
| Nursing space | checked, no record | We checked the tourist association's official site (Japanese and English) and its notices, the official area map, a barrier-free information site, Jalan, Rurubu, the Yamaguchi tourism site, Mine city's childcare site and parents' reports and reviews, and found no record of a nursing room inside the cave or at the three entrance information offices. One parent with a baby fed and changed the baby in the car in the parking lot before going in. If you need one, ask the Akiyoshidai Tourist Exchange Center information desk (0837-62-0115). | checked Sep ’26 | ||
| Family restroom | No | There are no toilets inside the cave route, accessible or otherwise, so go before you enter. Wheelchair-accessible toilets are all outside the cave: at the information offices by the main, Kurotani and elevator entrances, the Akiyoshidai Tourist Exchange Center and the Akiyoshido Fureai Hiroba plaza by the main parking lot. | Web-checked | checked Jul ’25 | kurohirame.hatenadiary.combarrier-free.netkarusuto.com |
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | checked, no record | There are no toilets inside the cave at all. For the toilets outside, we checked the tourist association's official site and area map, a barrier-free information site and parents' reports and reviews, and found no record of child toilet seats or seat adapters. If you need one, bring a portable seat or ask at the Akiyoshidai Tourist Exchange Center information desk. | checked Sep ’26 | ||
| Outside food allowed | No | Parents' reports say eating and drinking are not allowed inside the cave, so there is no chance to drink along the way; bring drinks to have once you come out. We found no page of visitor rules on the official site. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’25 | kosodateruru.com |
| English support | English menu & signs | Inside the cave there is a multilingual audio guide in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean. | Web-checked | checked Sep ’26 | en.karusuto.com |
| Best-fit ages (guide)Extra info — guide only | Yes | There is no age limit, and one family carried their 1-year-old through the cave. To walk the whole route on their own feet, children of about 3 or 4 who can walk for half an hour and understand 'no running' manage best. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’25 | kosodateruru.comameblo.jprurubu.jp |
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