Please also check out the first part of the article, ``Spectacular views! We went to the Choshi River, which boasts outstanding transparency! We also introduce nearby tourist spots!''♪​

■Table of contents

• 1. About the blue cave
• 2. Blue Cave (Gama no Mouth)
• Let's take a pleasure boat to the Blue Cave
• You can also go to Tategasaki by sightseeing boat.
• 3. Sightseeing spots around Blue Cave
• World Heritage Site, Onigajo
• World Heritage Site: Hana-no-Iwaya Shrine
• ShichiriMihamaBeach
• Let's ride the trolley that connects Kumano's two secret hot springs!
• Carefully selected running stream! Yunoguchi Onsen, a secret hot spring in the mountains

1. About the blue cave

When it comes to the Blue Grotto, the one on the Italian island of Capri is famous. (See photo)
There are also scenic spots called blue caves in Japan, such as Otaru Blue Cave in Hokkaido, Hachinohe Ana in Iwate Prefecture, Ryuo Cave in Niigata Prefecture, Dogashima Tenso Cave in Shizuoka Prefecture, and Ishikawa Prefecture. Examples include Cape Suzu (Sanctuary Cape) and Cape Maeda in Okinawa Prefecture.

and! Actually, the Blue Cave is also located in KumanoCity, Mie Prefecture.

2. Blue Cave (Gama no Mouth)

Let's take a pleasure boat to the Blue Cave

The Blue Cave (Gama no Mouth) can be accessed by sightseeing boat.

Mao-san: “The wind feels great! We’re leaving for the Blue Cave!”

Let's have fun while fully enjoying the open feeling of a sightseeing boat ♪

The sightseeing boat will visit the scenic spots in the order of Onigajo → Jofuku no Miya → Blue Cave (Gama no Mouth) → Tategasaki → Umikongo. By the way, all of the spots other than the Blue Cave can be accessed from land, but seeing them from the sea offers a different and interesting view. Even if you've been to each spot from land, next time try riding a pleasure boat and enjoy it from a new perspective.

A sightseeing boat moves forward, making splashes of water. We will soon arrive at the Blue Cave! excited.

We arrived at the Blue Cave (Gama no Mouth)!

Mao: “Look at it! It’s a beautiful blue color…!”

The vivid blue color, which looks like paint dripping into the sea, captivates your eyes.

Because of the high transparency, you can clearly see small fish swimming and rocks on the ocean floor! It's a view that you'll never get tired of even if you keep looking at it.

According to the leaflet you receive when you board the sightseeing boat, the color of the sea changes depending on the amount of sunlight, from cobalt blue to emerald green. You can see different scenery from day to day, so you can enjoy it no matter how many times you come.

Mao: “It’s really interesting because it looks like a toad (frog) with its mouth open!”

It's a beautiful, gaping cave that looks like it was carved out artificially, and it's hard to believe that it was created naturally.

You can also go to Tategasaki by sightseeing boat.

After seeing the Blue Cave, we headed to Tategasaki, which is famous for its columnar joints that look like countless pillars connected together. Approximately 70 meters high and approximately 600 meters in circumference, Tategasaki stands out over the sea in the shape of a shield.Due to large-scale volcanic activity a long time ago (approximately 14 million years ago), a large amount of magma cooled and solidified. It is caused by being tied and contracted. It is also said to be the place where Emperor Jimmu (who is said to be the first emperor and the ancestor of the imperial family according to the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki) landed, and is also famous as a place connected to mythology. Combined with its connection to mythology, it feels grand and solemn.

As you approach Tategasaki on a sightseeing boat, you can enjoy the sheer cliffs with columnar joints that spread out even more. Mao-san, I was impressed by the magnificent scenery.

Mao: “The rock pillars are lined up over and over again, making it a mysterious sight!”

As you get closer, you can clearly see each rock and it becomes even more impressive.

The sightseeing boat departs from Matsuzaki Port and takes about 70 minutes. Departure time is 10:00, 12:00, or 14:00.
Prices (tax included per adult): 2 people on board: 4,500 yen 3 people on board: 4,000 yen 4 people on board: 3,500 yen 5 or more people on board: 3,000 yen.

*Please check the official website for details.
*You cannot board the boat with just one person.
*Infants under elementary school age cannot board the ship.

3. Sightseeing spots around Blue Cave

World Heritage Site, Onigajo

Go to Onigajo via the land promenade. Onigajo is a large tuff rock wall that was raised by sea breeze erosion and several large earthquakes. Stretching for about 1 kilometer, there are countless caves of various sizes carved out by the rough waves of the Kumano Sea, lined up in a staircase pattern. When you look out from inside the cave, you can enjoy a mysterious view that looks like the sea and sky have been hollowed out in a bumpy shape.

Onigajo Legend has it that about 1,200 years ago, Tamuramaro Sakagami, a barbarian general, was ordered by the emperor to exterminate a pirate named Tagamaru, who was feared as a demon, who had settled in the area of Kumano and was ravaging the region.

Mao: ``If you were told that Onigajo used to be a place where demons lived, you'd be convinced.It's a place with such an atmosphere that you'd understand.What kind of battle took place when Tayamaru was exterminated?'' I can't help but imagine it."

World Heritage Site: Hana-no-Iwaya Shrine

Hana-no-Iwaya Iwaya Shrine is also mentioned in the Nihon Shoki, and is said to be Japan's oldest shrine. According to the Nihon Shoki, Hananoiwaya-jinjaShrine is dedicated to Izanami no Mikoto and his son Kagutsuchi no Mikoto.

Izanami no Mikoto is also the god of the birth of nations and the birth of gods, and gives birth to 35 gods, but while giving birth to Kagutsuchi no Mikoto, she was burned and died as a result. The tomb where Izanami no Mikoto was buried is called the Hana-no-Iwaya, and the 45-meter-tall Iwakura is said to be a sacred object.

As you walk through the shrine, you will be overwhelmed by the presence of Iwaza at the very back. There is a theory that the name Hana-no-Iwaya comes from ``a rock where flowers were offered and worshiped.''

Even today, some flowers are placed in front of the shrine. The contrast between the towering large rocks and the small, colorful flowers further enhances the mystical atmosphere.

Mr. Mao, who wrote "Taiwan-Japan Friendship" on the votive tablet, said, "We will continue to spread the word so that everyone in Taiwan can learn about the charms of Japan and Mie Prefecture!"

ShichiriMihamaBeach

In front of Hananoiwaya-jinjaShrine Shichirimihama Beach, which stretches approximately 22 kilometers from KumanoCity to KihoTown. As the longest gravel beach in Japan, it has been selected as one of Japan's ``100 Best Beaches'' and ``100 Best Nature Preserves for the 21st Century,'' making it a famous spot nationwide.

The reflections on the water's surface are so beautiful... `` HigashiKishu area, where you can enjoy rivers, oceans, and mountains, is really wonderful! I'm completely hooked!'' Mao said with a smile.

Enjoy the beauty of ShichiriMihamaBeach while strolling along the water's edge.

Let's ride the trolley that connects Kumano's two secret hot springs!

KumanoCity Kumano City has been known as a mining town for over 1200 years. A long time ago, the trolleys used for copper mining had once finished their role and were put to sleep, but they have been revived as sightseeing trolleys! You can ride on the 1km (10 minutes) road that connects Iruka Onsen/Hotel Toryuso and Yumoto Sanso/Yunokuchi Onsen. The green and white color and kamaboko-shaped body are so cute!

Pass through the small trolley door and go inside...

Even inside the vehicle, there is a retro and cute space! Let's enjoy a 10-minute excursion on a trolley♪

Carefully selected running stream! Yunoguchi Onsen, a secret hot spring in the mountains

Take the trolley from Iruka Onsen Hotel Toryuso and arrive at Yunoguchi Onsen, a hidden hot spring surrounded by mountains! The buildings and hot spring facilities at Yunoguchi Onsen are made of Kumano wood, which is known as a high-quality wood. Let's warm up in a hot spring while feeling the warmth and scent of wood ♪

Yunoguchi Onsen is a source of natural hot spring water that does not require any addition of water or heating. The area around Yunoguchi Onsen was once the site of a copper mine, and the hot springs here are rich in iron and minerals. It is also said to be a ``cane-forgetting bath'' (a bath that will make you feel so energetic that you forget to use a cane). The fatigue from your trip will be blown away in no time♪

Mao: “My body feels warm and I feel relaxed♪”

The healing effects of hot springs are outstanding.

This time, we toured the Blue Cave and surrounding spots with Mao! How about the Blue Cave and its surrounding spots, which are packed with sights such as scenic views on a sightseeing boat, world heritage sites, trolley rides, and hot springs?

Please also take a look at the first part of the article, ``Spectacular views! We went to the Choshi River, which boasts outstanding transparency! We also introduce nearby tourist spots!''♪​

If you would like to know more tourist information about HigashiKishu, please check out "Feel the blue heartbeat. HigashiKishu Tourism Handbook"!

*Click here for a promotional video for Taiwan that features the tourism resources and experience menus of HigashiKishu region and was created with the appearance of Taiwanese influencer Mao from MaoMaoTV ↓

Article production: MSLP