Fantastical limestone forms and LED light create a dreamlike underworld.
Makido Cave is a roughly 450 meter horizontal limestone cave and an Okayama Prefectural Natural Monument.
Praised by the poet couple Tekkan Yosano and Akiko Yosano as a “cave full of wonders,” it features LED illumination that highlights its natural formations.
The interior stays around 15°C year-round—cool in summer and warm in winter.
According to local lore, the cave was discovered in the Edo period when a hunter chasing a tanuki (raccoon dog) came upon its entrance.
Photo spots appear along the route; near the far end is “Lovers’ Spring,” known for a heart-shaped view when the entrance is seen from a specific vantage point—one reason the site is certified as a “Lovers’ Sanctuary”.
Makido Cave is also known as a filming location for Village of Eight Gravestones ("Yatsuhakamura", 1977).
