Ikura Cave

Ikura CavelimestoneNiimiunderground waterfallshow cave

Okayama · Niimi

34.9279°N, 133.5069°E

Ikura is a vertical cave rather than a horizontal one. The route runs 1,200 metres into the limestone with 90 metres of elevation gain, so instead of strolling along a level floor you climb stairs and ramps through chambers stacked above one another, past named formations and an underground waterfall that drops the full height of the system near the end.

The entrance is at the foot of a 240-metre limestone cliff on the Takahashi river, which is a piece of scenery in its own right, and the gorge road below it is one of the more dramatic drives in the prefecture. The cave holds around 15 degrees all year. It is a prefectural natural monument and has been open since 1959, which shows in the slightly old-fashioned coloured lighting — a period feature by now rather than a fault.

Essential Information

Opening Hours

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry 4:30 PM)

Closed: Open year-round

Entrance Fee

¥1,000 adults | ¥800 junior high school | ¥500 elementary school

Best Season

Year-round; summer for the cool interior | Spring for maximum flow over the underground waterfall

Visit Duration

1–1.5 hours including the 40-minute cave route

Getting There

Access Information

Ikura 409, Niimi City. About 15 minutes on foot from Ikura Station on the JR Hakubi Line; about 20 minutes by car from Niimi. Open 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM with last entry at 4:30 PM, open year-round. Admission ¥1,000 adults, ¥800 junior high school, ¥500 elementary school. Free parking for about 300 cars. The route is about 1,200 m with 90 m of climb, takes roughly 40 minutes, and involves steep stairs and a permanently wet floor.

Insider Guide

Premium

**Ninety metres of climb, and it is stairs.** This is the fact that catches people out. Not suitable for anyone who cannot manage a long flight of steps, and not passable with a pushchair. **Fifteen degrees all year.** Bring a layer in summer; in winter it is warmer inside than out. **The floor is wet everywhere.** Grippy shoes matter more here than in most show caves because of the gradient. **The cliff outside is worth stopping for.** A 240-metre limestone face over the Takahashi river, and the gorge road below is a good drive in its own right. **Makido is 40 minutes away.** The other Niimi cave is horizontal, half the length, and completely different in character — a wide chamber with a still pool. Doing both in a day is the standard local circuit.

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