Nishiizu Town, Shizuoka Prefecture
Dōgashima Tensōdō Cave The sea was moving at the bottom of a hole in the woods
I held my phone in both hands and pointed it down at the water in the opening. I’d been walking along a path surrounded by trees, so it felt strange to see the sea below. I stood there taking it in for a while before taking a picture.
Read about the skylight as seen from the trail in August, and a little about Dōgashima.
SummerAn August afternoon
The sea was moving at the bottom of a hole in the woods
Water was moving at the bottom of the hole. In August, at Dōgashima, I looked down into Tensōdō Cave from the trail. All around me were trees and grass, but below was the sea. It took me a moment to grasp that the sea I was looking at lay right beneath the ground I’d just been walking over.
I straightened the sleeves of my lavender hoodie and held my phone in both hands. Standing on the paved trail just inside the railing, I aimed my phone at the water. Before taking a picture, I looked up and saw the layers of rock along the edge of the opening. I found myself studying those lines for a while.
They say the sea carved this cave into the white tuff. Its roof has a round opening that lets light reach the water. I know about skylights in buildings, but I never expected to find one this big in a natural cave. It’s fascinating.
Light falls on one part of the water, leaving the rest in shadow. I wanted to fit the whole scene into the frame, but then I lowered my phone a little and followed the movement of the water with my own eyes. A photo would freeze the scene, but right in front of me it kept rippling.
You can go through the cave by sightseeing boat, or, like I did, look down into it from the trail. The cave was designated a Natural Monument in 1935, and I’ve heard that Yosano Tekkan and Akiko Yosano visited too. I couldn’t help wondering how many people had stopped to watch the light before me.
I looked over the photos I’d taken, then walked a little farther along the trail. If I get hungry, I’d love to try Nishiizu shiokatsuo udon. After seeing the light on the water inside the cave, I think today at Dōgashima will stay with me even longer if I can also try some of the coast’s local flavors.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialty
Nishiizu Shiokatsuo Udon
This local dish pairs hot udon with shiokatsuo, salted bonito from Nishiizu, and toppings such as grilled bonito and nori. After seeing Tensōdō Cave, I’d love to try it for myself.
Highlights
A sea cave carved into white tuff
The sea-eroded cave contains a network of tunnels, with an opening in the roof that forms a skylight. Knowing the cave runs underground and out to sea made me curious about the shapes in its rock, too.
The skylight that inspired a poem
Yosano Tekkan and Akiko Yosano visited in early spring 1935 and wrote tanka about this place. As I took photos, I found myself imagining the light they saw.
Road details
Dōgashima Walking Trail
Follow the Dōgashima trail on foot and look down into the cave from above.
Seeing the skylight from above is a chance to get out of the car and take a walk. Even after taking my photo, I wanted to linger and watch the water move.
More Spot Guides
If you enjoyed this story, you might like these places too. I've gone back to each of them in different seasons, again and again.
