Kyusendo, a limestone cave in Kuma, a village damaged by torrential rains in July 2020, reopened for business for the first time in about 1 year and 9 months. You can now experience this 4,800-meter-long, 300-million-year-old natural wonder through the revived tour course, as well as renewed facilities, including a specialty shop featuring local products and a bakery. This article will share the attractions of an even more powerful KYUSENDO.

*To cooperate in preventing the spread of Covid-19, please check the latest information and requests released by Kumamoto Prefecture and local governments before visiting any of the following destinations. You are also asked to thoroughly follow basic infection prevention measures（the new travel etiquette）such as washing your hands, wearing a mask, and keeping a safe distance from other people.

Discovered by Ehime University's Academic Exploration Department in 1973, Kyusendo Cave is estimated to have been formed approximately 300 million years ago by the uplift of limestone layers on the seafloor. With a total length of approximately 4,800 m, it is the longest cave in Kyushu. Research is still underway, and if it continues, Kyusendo may possibly be labeled the longest limestone cave in Japan. It is surprising that the cave continues to erode, little by little!

There are two courses for exploring the limestone caves: the General Course, taking 30 minutes to make a slow circuit of the caves, and the Exploration Course (about 50 minutes), in which visitors wear boots, helmets, and cap lights and proceed through the subterranean depths. For this tour, the General Course has been selected. Time to plunge into the tunnel with its fantastic atmosphere!

Upon entering the tunnel, you will find cold, crystal-clear underground water flowing into the Kuma River. Since the interior temperature of the cave is around 16°C throughout the year, the air is cool and refreshing. Look 70 meters directly above you to see the vertical hole into which the expedition team first descended!

Kyusendo is also famous for its many stalactites, regarded as some of the most precious in the world. As its reputation suggests, the deeper you go into the cave, the more formations you will see in various shapes and sizes. These include flowstones, formed by the combined effect of falling water drops and a thin layer of water covering the surface, and homate stalagmites, which grow from the cave floor to the ceiling. 

The ceiling of the central hole is about 20 meters high. Further back is a series of caves extending approximately 3,000 meters.

This stalactite overwhelms you with its stunning beauty and power. It is a combination of flowstone and stalagmite.
Stalactites are living things... looking at them, you can't help but feel the mystery of our 300 million-year-old Earth!

【The Kyusendo Spiral】
As you walk down the aisle looking at the stalactites, you can see a shelf lined with bottles...
Actually, these are all Kuma Shochu. This traditional Japanese spirit, made from rice and koji, can be aged for up to 20 years. Anyone who purchases it can become a stakeholder. Wouldn't you love to taste it?

Next, you'll come across what could be called a Bat Apartment.
Although they couldn't be seen on this day, some 20,000 bats live in this cave! It is a habitat for species such as the Eastern Bent-wing, Long-fingered and Greater Horseshoe bats.

Lined with stairs and bridges, the General Course pathways make it easy for people of all ages and genders to join in the fun.
This leisurely 30-minute tour of the caves was a great way to see the sights!

Damaged by torrential rains, Kyusendo Cave was closed for about 1 year and 9 months (these photos were taken at the time of the disaster).
Although there was no damage to the interior of Kyusendo, mudslides occurred in two locations in the mountains behind the cave, and a large amount of sediment washed into the tunnel that leads into the cave, as well as the building that houses the store and other facilities. After taking about six months to remove the earth and sand, the construction work to reopen the cave was begun and it finally finished in 2022. In April of this year, Kyusendo reopened for business.

With its reopening, Kyusendo plans to hold regular events such as a market. Although the national highway and the JR Hisatsu Line had not yet been fully restored at the time of writing, it is hoped that Kyusendo's reopening will spur on those reconstruction efforts, too.

After exploring Kyusendo, why not take a break at the attached eateries and look for souvenirs at the specialty shops? Spend a few leisurely moments at Mori-no-Kobo bakery and café, Komori-Tei restaurant and Center Shinrin, a store selling local products.

Center Shinrin offers a variety of specialty items, primarily from the Hitoyoshi and Kuma regions.
In addition to such delicacies as wild game, Ayu sweetfish, and mountain sea urchin tofu, there's also Kuma Jochu (the traditional Japanese rice liquor made in Kuma Village) and bent-wood boxes from Sosogi Workshop, which are hard to find in other places.

Hinata, a bakery specializing in honey and bread, is located on the 1st floor of Mori no Kobo.
This is where you can buy loaves of bread such as Hinata-no-Shokupan and Premium Shokuban. Popular for its springy texture, an average of 80 loaves a day are sold here!

This is a rich egg sandwich served on buttery slices of Hinata's bread.
With lots of onions, this is a filling sandwich. It's limited to 20 per day.

Yama-Kobo, Featuring a Full Lineup of Outdoor Goods
Their selection includes not only clothing, but also protective gloves, helmets, chainsaws, and other essential machinery for agriculture, forestry, and landscaping.

On the 2nd floor of Mori-no-Kobo, you'll find Kyusendo Terrace. This spot was created to showcase panoramic views of Kuma Village's natural beauty. A Bell of Happiness was also installed to thank those who supported Kyusendo's restoration and to bring good fortune to all visitors.

A dog run is also available here. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that this is a safe place to take your pet!