About Shikoku

An hour from Kochi you can find a really great cave called Ioki cave.
When you stand at the entrance to the cave on a hot summer day, you’ll fell the cool air from the cave in contrast to the humidity of the summer weather, and you’ll want to stay just at the entrance all day. Once you start walking through the cave with water dripping from the celling you’ll feel like going into another world, as the cave opens up to a big area, with tall walls and a bamboo forest full of moss and greenery.

Here the entrance to the cave(right) and be seen, and the view that awaits you(left)

You can continue to walk along a small path over little streams, while listening to the birds and taking in all nature.
If you keep walking you’ll reach a waterfall in about 20-30min from the entrance.

When you reach here you can continue to walk and then you’ll get to a sign showing different routes. I choose to walk a 1km one to a big lake, which was quite impressive and would be the perfect place to eat a bento or lunch(that you bring, there were no stores in sight). This was quite a beautiful walk, but nothing beats the initial feeling you get when you enter the cave.

This a small bridge you get to cross. This really showcases the harmony in the area.

From the traditional apartment it takes about 2,5-3 hours to drive down there by car. The way down there goes through a gorgeous mountain pass. I went with train, and this was the view most of the way. Going by train takes approximately 3,5 hours.




Useful information:
Address: Ioki Cave, 117 Ioki, Aki, Kochi 784-0045