The Limestone Cave of Fudō Myō-ō (Fudōkutsu Shōnyūdō)

Down a curving staircase of 129 steps lies the entrance to a large limestone cave guarded by a fearsome statue of the Buddhist deity Fudō Myō-ō. For centuries, the cave was used by followers of the ascetic practice known as Shugendō. Legend says the founder of Shugendō, En no Gyōja (634–c. 701), discovered the cave some 1,300 years ago. Inside the 140-meter cave system are four connected chambers and a powerful, rushing waterfall called Fudō no Taki, or “Fudō’s Falls.”

The statue portrays Fudō Myō-ō as wielding a sword and surrounded by flames, representing his power to repel evil and burn away obstacles to human enlightenment. He was highly revered by Shugendō practitioners, who often placed statues of him near waterfalls. As part of their arduous training, ascetics would enter the cave alone and proceed forward through the darkness, toward the sound of the waterfall. While today the course is well lit, with handrails and stairs to aid in reaching the farthest chamber, these ascetics would have had no knowledge of the sudden drops, jagged clefts, and rocky overhangs that lay before them. Close to the falls, the roar of plunging water echoing from all sides would have made the darkness even more disorienting.

Entry into the cave begins at café Kissa Hora! Ana, where cave-goers pay a small fee before descending the staircase. The café serves an eclectic menu ranging from entrees made with wild boar or venison to freshly baked “Dutch baby” pancakes. Its lounge area is furnished with sofas positioned near large windows that overlook the valley.