Hello, everyone. Today I have come to the Dogashima Tensodo Cave in Shizuoka Prefecture’s Nishiizu Town.
The highlight of this place is unquestionably the “cave tour,” where you are sure to snap some shots that will be a hit on social media. You can take a boat cruise and pass directly below the Tensodo Cave.
I would also like to tell you about places to explore near Dogashima Tensodo Cave where you can see landscapes that are rare even in Japan.
Cave tours to the fascinating Tensodo Cave
Designated a Japanese natural monument in 1935, the Tensodo Cave is a marine erosion cave made of tuff rock. It has three entrances at the south, east and west. The cave is particularly wide at the southern entrance, and its length reaches 147 meters.
A round section of the ceiling has fallen out at the center, creating a skylight through which light shines into the cave. The color of the water surface changes in various ways depending on climatic conditions and weather.
Let us begin with the cave tour
Today’s weather is clear with gentle breezes, making it a great day for cruising.
We slowly make our way toward the cave.
After a short while, we arrive at the main attraction, the Tensodo Cave.
The light shining through the hole in the ceiling is so bright it’s dazzling. It looks mysterious like a passage from a fairy tale, and is great for taking the perfect shot to post on social media.
The tour took roughly 20 minutes.
After taking the tour, we recommend looking through the same Tensodo Cave from above.With the sightseeing boat pier at your back, go in a northwesterly direction and you will see the Tensodo Cave.
With the sightseeing boat pier at your back, go in a northwesterly direction and you will see the Tensodo Cave.
Along the way you can buy souvenirs made by seashells. There are earrings and other piercings, so even just looking is fun.
We’ve arrived! From here we can look at the Tensodo Cave from above. It looks completely different than when you pass through underneath. Depending on the time of day, sunlight shines into the cave and illuminates the surface of the water, creating a dreamlike scene.
Not far from Tensodo you can also see a complex ria coast. The footing is bad, so please watch where you’re going. I recommend wearing sneakers or other shoes that are comfortable to walk in when you visit.
See here for information on the Dogashima Marine boat tours.
The Sanshirojima islands
Explore the rare natural phenomenon
The Sanshirojima islands are a group of four islands roughly 200 meters out in the sea. They get their name from the fact that depending on the angle you take, it looks like there are either three (san) or four (shi) islands.
At low tide, a shoal appears, connecting the shore to the frontmost island, so you can go across without getting your feet wet. This phenomenon is called a tombolo which is very rare in Japan.
The most famous of such tombolos is at Mont Saint-Michel in France. Sanshirojima is therefore sometimes referred to as “the Mont Saint-Michel of Nishiizu.” It’s quite surprising that the same phenomenon as the famous World Heritage Site in France can be seen in Nishiizu.
So, what did you think? The day out at and near Tensodo Cave included exploring Nishiizu’s natural wonders. You can also take loads of instagrammable photos. Please pay Nishiizu a visit when you have a day off.
Learn more anout Nishiizu Town here.
