Shoryu Cave (limestone cave)

A natural monument of Kagoshima Prefecture, Shoryu-do Cave was discovered in 1963, and 600m of its 3,500m length is open to the public. The caves are wonderfully developed with stalactites, and the flowstone in particular is one of the largest in Japan.

Flowstones, also known as flowstones, are shaped like thickened cream and cover the walls and slopes of the cave. When viewed up close, the flowstones can be seen to have developed by incorporating small stalactites and other small stones.

There are also stalactites in the cave with various names such as “Christmas tree,” “gold and silver waterfall,” “diamond palace,” “silver bamboo screen,” and “yokozuna’s make-up sash,” and some rare ones produce a clear sound like a music hall when struck.

The inside of the cave glistens in the light, and the fine calcite crystals create a beautiful sight. Calcite is the main component of limestone and is sometimes treated as an ore as “limestone” and sometimes used as a stone material as “marble.

The entrance to the cave is visited by subtropical plants and butterflies, which delight the eyes of visitors. At the exit park, there is a rest area that also serves as an observatory, offering a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. Of the 2.7-km-long cave, a 600-meter section can be visited, which takes about 40 minutes.