Taishaku Gorge
Taishaku Gorge is an 18 km-long ravine along the Taishaku River, one of the tributaries of the Takahashi River in Shōbara and Jinseki Kōgen, Hiroshima. It was once part of an underground cave system, but in prehistoric times, uplift raised it to the surface of the earth and the roof collapsed into the river. Remnants of the roof remain in places as picturesque arches. The main arch across the river itself is called Onbashi. The valley is part of the Hiba-Dōgo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park. It’s known for its maples and autumn leaves. In the river around the Onbashi, you can find pieces of slag from the smelting of tatara steel for swords and other uses.
A short walk from the northern entrance to the gorge is the Haku’un Cave, a cosy but impressive limestone cave that you can enter with a modest admission. It’s home to horseshoe bats.
Most people walk from the car park at the northern end down to the Onbashi and then turn back. However, we recommend walking the whole gorge to Lake Shinryū.
The nearby Jiyūkan archaeological museum has many fascinating exhibits of life in the stone age Jōmon period revealed by excavations in the gorge, including a female human skeleton.
Information
Name in Japanese: 帝釈峡
Pronunciation: tai-shaku-kyo
Address: Tōjō-chō Taishakumido, Shōbara, Hiroshima 729-5244, Japan
