S P O T ／ SPOT-344
Nippara Limestone Cave
日原鍾乳洞にっぱらしょうにゅうどう
Deep in the mountains of Okutama, within Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park on Tokyo's far western edge, Nippara Limestone Cave is one of the largest caverns in the entire Kanto region. With a total length of about 1,270 meters and a vertical drop of around 134 meters, the visitor route alone winds for hundreds of meters through a vast underground world. Known since before the Edo period, the cave was once a sacred site of mountain worship where ascetics and pilgrims secluded themselves, and it still bears traces of that devotion — a white Kannon statue stands enshrined within. Stalactites and stalagmites built up over centuries crowd the great halls, and in recent years colorful lighting and a suikinkutsu water chime have been added, conjuring a landscape that feels impossibly remote for somewhere within a day trip of central Tokyo. Even at the height of summer the interior hovers around 11 degrees Celsius, making it a celebrated retreat from the heat.
H I G H L I G H T S
Highlights
- 01One of Kanto's largest underground spaces, about 1,270 m long with a 134 m vertical difference
- 02Great halls lined with stalactites and stalagmites grown over hundreds of years, and strange rock formations
- 03A white Kannon statue enshrined inside as a vestige of mountain worship
- 04An otherworldly subterranean landscape staged with colored lighting and a suikinkutsu water chime
- 05An environment that stays around 11°C even in midsummer, known as a cool-off retreat
A C C E S S ／ M E T A
Essentials
- Location
- Tokyo Okutama Town
- Address
- 〒198-0211 東京都西多摩郡奥多摩町日原1052
- Fee
- 大人（高校生以上）900円、中学生700円、小学生600円（25人以上で1人100円割引）
- Hours
- 4月1日〜11月30日 9:00〜17:00／12月1日〜3月31日 9:00〜16:30（12月30日〜1月3日休業）
- Status
- 現存
- Nearest
- JR青梅線「奥多摩駅」（バス利用）
- Walk
- 30 min
- Parking
- 鍾乳洞前・周辺に有料駐車場あり。繁忙期は満車・交通規制の可能性。
- Time
- 約40分〜1時間（見学コース）