What to know
Discovered in 1969, Abukumado Cave (あぶくま洞, Abukumadō) is a 3000-meter-long limestone cave network in eastern Fukushima Prefecture, about 35 kilometers northwest of Iwaki. The spacious caverns were formed over 80 million years by underground streams and contain countless stalactites and stalagmites. The cave exhibits unique features not seen elsewhere in Japan, including boxwork formations and the "Christmas Tree," a two-meter-high stalagmite said to be the largest in Japan.
About 600 meters of the caverns are open to the public and accessible via well-developed platforms, paved walkways, and often steep staircases. It takes about an hour to explore the main walking course. While tunnels can be narrow at times, they are mostly easy to navigate. The cave uses a stage lighting system to creatively illuminate chambers, including the impressive Takine Goten main hall.
More adventurous visitors can take an optional 120-meter-long exploration course for a small additional fee. It leads through a narrow side tunnel parallel to the main course and is more difficult, sometimes requiring crawling on hands and knees. It rejoins the main course in the Takine Goten hall.
Around the cave entrance, you'll find restaurants, souvenir shops, and the Star Village Observatory and Planetarium just across the parking lot. The hillside between the cave and planetarium is covered with over 50,000 lavender plants that bloom from mid-June to early July.
Abukumado Cave is located about halfway between Iwaki and Koriyama, near Kanmata Station on the JR Banetsu East Line. From Kanmata Station, it's about a 20-minute, 1600 yen taxi ride. Alternatively, a rental car can be more convenient, with outlets around Iwaki, Koriyama, and Fukushima stations.
From Iwaki, the train to Kanmata Station takes about 50 minutes and costs 1040 yen one way. From Koriyama, it takes about 45 minutes and costs 810 yen. The train is covered by the Japan Rail Pass, JR East Pass, and JR East South Hokkaido Pass. How to get to and around Iwaki
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- 8:30 to 17:00 (until 16:30 from mid-November to early March; until 17:30 from late June through September); last admission 40 minutes before closing; sale of exploration course tickets ends at the same time
- Closed
- No closing days
- Admission
- 1200 yen (~$7.68) (exploration course plus 300 yen (~$1.92))
- English name
- Abukumado Cave
- Original name
- Abukumado Cave
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.