Hida Great Limestone Cave (Hida Daishonyudo)

The Hida Great Limestone Cave, located near Takayama, is a well-known local attraction, but in my experience, it doesn’t quite live up to its grand name. Compared to other limestone caves I’ve visited—such as the magnificent ones in Halong Bay, Vietnam—this cave is relatively small and less impressive in scale. The interior mainly consists of a long, narrow corridor with low ceilings in some parts. It’s quite damp and chilly inside, even though I visited during the summer. The atmosphere can feel a bit uncomfortable due to the constant moisture, and the lighting is rather dim, which adds to the cold and slippery feel of the place. Visitors should also be prepared for a physically demanding walk. There are many steep slopes and stairways throughout the cave, which can be tiring and potentially unsafe for young children, the elderly, or anyone with mobility issues. The wet surfaces make it even more slippery, so proper footwear is highly recommended. Overall, while the Hida Great Limestone Cave may be worth a quick visit if you’re already in the area and interested in geology, it’s not a must-see attraction. Those who have explored larger or more dramatic caves elsewhere might find it underwhelming.

It's really worth divert and come here to visit the cave. It's a long undeground walk though different caves connected by the tunnels. Nature is breatifuly exposed with the help of colorful lights. Some passgaes requires a bit of a stretch and climbing up the stairs. Parking is for free and beatifully located among the mountains. There is also an amazing small park with sculptures on th way back from the cave to the parking.

Lovely caves with lots of caves to explore. Bit of scaffolding here and there but we enjoyed it and great to explore somewhere new on our way to Takayama. Cat parking is free and entry was 1200 yen each.

Very cool series of caves! Quite a distance, bring decent walking shoes! There’s even a section where there’s local sake and wine chilling in a storeroom!

Interesting place to visit if you haven't seen a limestone cave. Just take a bus from Takayama and back. There is a free shuttle bus that brings you from the bus stop to the cave entrance as well. 1hr to 1hr 15mins time spent at the cave is sufficient. Quite an easy walk inside but there are short steep paths and some steps. Not suitable for wheelchair users or baby strollers.