Hiraodai Karst Plateau
平尾台
One of Japan's three major karst landscapes, with white limestone scattered across the grasslands like a flock of sheep, and the chance to wade into the Senbutsu Stalactite Cave.
Hiraodai lies in Kokura-Minami Ward, Kitakyushu, and is counted among Japan's three major karst areas along with Akiyoshidai and Shikoku Karst. Countless round limestone pillars dot the highland grassland; from a distance they look like sheep grazing, earning the plateau the nickname "Sheep Meadow." The Hiraodai Nature Observation Center offers free introductions to the terrain and trails. The front section of Senbutsu Stalactite Cave is easy to explore, but the rear section requires walking barefoot through cold water, a unique experience (admission about 800 yen; bring a change of clothes). It's about a 40-minute drive from central Kokura, and public transportation is inconvenient.
Opening hours
Open all day; Thousand Buddha Stalactite Cave approx. 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Nearby sights
- TOTO Museum
- Tanga Market
- Kokura Castle
- Kitakyushu Manga Museum
- Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden
- Mount Sarakura
- Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History & Human History
- Former Imperial Steel Works Head Office Viewing Space