Muroiwa Cave, Shizuoka

The cave is illuminated and you can explore its mysterious space.

Shizuoka Prefecture Kamogun Matsuzakicho is known for its beautiful beaches in Nishiizu, hot spring resorts, and “Ishibu Tanada”. Such a town has a historic site called the nickname “Stone Dome”. During the Edo period, the Tokugawas used Izu stone to build the Edo Castle. Many stone quarry remain in Izu Peninsula, and “Muroiwa Cave” was one of them.
Go south on Route 136, which links Matsuzaki and the Iwachi region, and there is a signboard written “Muroiwa Cave” about 50 meters down the shore of the Fujimi Sculpture Line to the sea side.
After the long submarine volcano era of 2000 to 2 million years, the whole Izu was raised and appeared on the ground in Izu Peninsula. Since then, collisions with mainland of Japan and erosion have been repeated within hundreds of thousands of years, and it has become the present figure. As a result, you can directly view the beautiful internal structure that would otherwise have been buried underground.
Volcanic ash and pumice that fell to the seabed became tuff over time, leaving streaks. The stone thus made is soft and easy to process and has excellent durability, so it was useful as a stone wall when building a castle. “Muroiwa Cave” is a quarry that was in operation until around 1954 after the Edo period. It became a tourist destination after the closure of the mountain, and it became a tourist attraction in Matsuzaki Town in 1984.
The cave is lighted up from 8:30 to 17:00 and you can explore the mysterious space. The spring pond is also mysterious and romantic.

Charms and Highlights of Muroiwa Cave

A recommended spot for those who want to enjoy the calm atmosphere

Izu known as one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Shizuoka prefecture. Among them, Nishiizu-cho, Toda village, Toi and Matsuzaki-cho are called Nishi Izu, and many people are visiting for the sunset and hot springs. There are many spots where you can relax and forget the time, so it is a recommended spot for those who want to enjoy the calm atmosphere.

The interior remained almost at that time

“Muroiwa Cave” is located in such Nishiizu, where the remains of the quarry slab that was once used on stone wall of Edo Castle was established. Also, it is known as “Stone Dome”. The inside of the cave is about 2,000 square meters, and quarrying was done until about 1945, the interior remained almost at that time. Therefore, you can see traces of stone carried out, scarves of handwatching, stone chamber traces where groundwater was collected, caves with bats inhabited.

The area dug until the closed mountain in 1954 amounts to 2,000 square meters

Muroiwa Cave is the site that cut “Izu Stone” in Matsuzaki. “Izu Stone” is easy to process, has excellent fire resistance and features weathering resistance. Therefore, it has been actively used for castle stone walls etc. from the Edo period. It was in the Edo period that the extraction of “Izu Stone” began at Muroiwa Cave. The area dug until the closed mountain in 1954 amounts to 2,000 square meters.

You can taste a little exploring feeling

The remains of the chisel digging hands remained everywhere in the cave, and the stone room where the groundwater gushes was still as it was at that time. Lighting is installed in the place where you can see, but it is dim, and you can taste a little exploring feeling. Lighting inside the cave will be turned off at 17 o’clock, so be careful.

You can clearly see the coastline of ria coast

Muroiwa Cave is located on the way to the coast from the hill. The way to the cave is bad footing, plants grow up depending on the season, it seems to be a way to a secret base like a movie or a drama. However, the sea which is visible on the way is beautiful, and if it is sunny, you can clearly see the coastline of ria coast. You can enjoy natural flowers depending on the season.

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