An extraordinary experience in Okinawa! 3 cave explorations that even beginners can enjoy

There are two ways to play the cave. The sightseeing cave has a paved promenade with handrails, with a part of the entire cave for sightseeing, and the interior is lit up, making it relatively easy to walk and anyone can easily visit. Inside the huge cave, there are multiple overlapping stalagmites and stalactites, as well as caves where you can see underground lakes and ridge stones (limstones) depending on the location. There are many caves designated as monuments.
On the other hand, cave exploration is an activity in which bats and insects live in the darkness that exists in its natural state, relying on the light of headlights. There are places where the ceiling rises as high as several meters, and places where you can't go without squatting, so it's irresistible for adventure lovers on a rugged route. The sense of tension and excitement are mixed, and the five senses are fully utilized, so you can experience the immersive feeling.
Here are three cave exploration spots from the many caves in Okinawa this time.

The “South Island Cave Exploration”, which is held only in summer (mid-July to the end of September), is very popular every year! It is a tour that you can participate from a 6-year-old child and I would like to introduce you to a summer family trip. Gyokusendo Cave has a total length of 5,000m, the current tourist cave area is 890m, and the remaining 4,000m or more is an undisclosed area preserved for research. I'm worried about what kind of scenery is? The entrance starts from the same location as the general route. While being watched by the customers around me (?) Behind the route, go to the unpublished area in the dark!

There are also places where you can get wet with water because you explore while entering the underground river flowing through the cave. When you squat down in a place with a low ceiling, adults can soak up to the waist and children to the chest! It can cool down the lighted body and is perfect for hot summers. If you are taking pictures in the cave, bring a waterproof camera or smartphone (waterproof case required).
After the tour, you can sweat in the shower room (hot water) and return refreshingly. Don't forget to change clothes!
If you have time, please go to Okinawa World on the premises. You can see subtropical fruits in a tropical fruit garden, experience traditional crafts such as coloring Shisa, and take photos and strolls with the traditional costume "Ryuso" worn only by Kingdom of ryukyu tribes! There is also Rest Ren where you can eat Okinawan cuisine, so be sure to stop by for lunch or break.

Matsuda District Experience Exchange Center, located about 5 minutes by car from Ginoza IC, is the meeting place for Matsuda solutional cave tour. There are three types of courses, so please choose according to your physical strength and health condition. The longest solutional cave Tanken Course is about 230 meters long and takes about 2 hours. It is for those who can participate from the age of 10 and have strong legs and confidence in physical strength. "solutional cave Sansaku Course" walks a part of the Tanken Course for about an hour. It is for those who can participate from the age of 5 and want to have a quick adventure. The "Historic Site Tour and solutional cave Mager Cave Tour" walks the village for about an hour with a local guide.

This time, I would like to introduce the "solutional cave Tanken Course"! Departure with colorful connections such as red, orange, and green. The entrance of solutional cave, about a 5-minute walk from the center, locks the fence to prevent people from entering normally. Ladders and stairs are installed in places where there is a difference in height, and safety is considered, but let's proceed while paying attention to your feet.
The inside of the cave is large, and it is connected to the back as many spaces are available. On the way, you can see white and thin stalactites called straws, glittering rocks when exposed to light, and stalactites that make sounds when hit. The roots of the banyan, which pierce the rock from the ceiling and hang down for water, make you feel the power of nature. This solutional cave was a playground for children until more than 50 years ago. The guide who accompanied me talked about not only the creatures and strata in the cave, but also the daily life of the old Matsuda area and the many plants planted in the garden. It seems that some artists had a contrabas concert in the cave before. It's very fantastic.

Click here if you want to move around Ishigaki-jima Island! How about the "Iriomote Island Yutun Cave" that can be enjoyed on a day trip? At the entrance, there is a hole in the forest where plants grow, and a human body can finally enter. There is no doubt that you will be thrilled with the narrowness that exceeds expectations. Before entering, receive a polite explanation from the guide, and you can get hungry and start entering. I think that the real pleasure of this course is that the open space appears beyond the narrow entrance and the space is changing rapidly. Approximately 2 hours pass quickly with highlights such as stalactites that play sounds, rocks that glow in the dark, and a superb view of natural light rays, which is said to be less than 5% encounter rate.

The thrill that I felt in the scenery and experience I saw for the first time is only once! Please enjoy the "first time" with your whole body! In order to use the entire body, this tour will be equipped with connections, helmets, headlights, shoes, as well as protectors covering the elbows, knees and shins. Also, if you have your own smartphone or camera, consider putting it in a waterproof case with strong impact resistance, or having a guide take a picture without bringing it.

How was it? Please experience the charming underground world of Okinawa. Advance reservations are required to participate in the cave exploration tour. Participation conditions are set for each tour, so please see the website of each tour company. The cave is dark and undulating, so you can choose a tour that suits your own pace and enjoy it.