Parkland Facilities
Parkland
Seasonal plants add color to Ryusendo's parkland.
At festival time, the parkland is crowded with people strolling among the many stalls selling products from Iwaizumi. Visitors are entertained by performances showcasing local folk arts and the atmosphere is filled with sounds of music.
Two restaurants offer seasonal dishes and food products typical of Iwaizumi.
Please enjoy the Ryusendo Cave Garden where nature, happy visitors and tempting food all celebrate the different character of each of the seasons.
Parkland Facilities
Ticketing Window
The ticketing window is here.
This is where you buy tickets for Ryusendo Cave and the Ryusen Shindo Science Museum. If you have any queries, please come to come to this window.
Ticket Vending Machine
You can also purchase tickets for Ryusendo Cave and the Ryusen Shindo Science Museum from a ticket vending machine, next to the ticketing window.
If the shutter of the machine is closed, please purchase tickets at the window.
Staff Office
This is the Ryusendo Cave staff office.
We try to assist visitors by providing tourist information, storing lost and found items, and by looking after their pets.
Toilets
The toilet facilities include separate toilets for me n and women and also a multi-purpose toilet.
Lockers
We have coin-operated lockers which you can use when needed.
Smoking Area
Smoking is allowed only in this smoking area.
Tourist Center
The first floor contains souvenir shops selling goods and products relating to Ryusendo Cave and Iwaizumi, and there is a restaurant. The second floor has a free rest lounge.
Drinking Fountain
At this drinking fountain, you can savour water from Ryusendo Cave. Please use it whenever you want-whether to quench your thirst in the hot summer, to wash your hands, etc.
Pond
We keep numerous char and rainbow trout.
Instead of battling to survive in the harsh wilderness, these fish are fed by our staff, so you may not ice they are much larger than they would be in their nature habitat.
Stage
The stage is the setting for festivals and other special occasions.
Bridge
The bridge is for people crossing “Shizu River” on their way to Ryusendo Cave.
The bridge’s handrail features a design of the fierce dragon associated with Ryusendo.
Huge Carved Wooden Dragon
Carved in 100-yearrold oak wood, it was erected on October 5, 1989, to show people’s gratitude for the water of Iwaizumi and in the hope of Iwaizumi’s continued prosperity.
Carved Wooden Bat
A carving of Japanese long-eared bat was created along with the dragon for the Sacred Place for Lovers. Please enjoy this, too.
Ryusendo Cave Tourist Center
This facility is located just on the right side of Ryusendo Cave Bridge leading to your destination, Ryusendo Cave. This multipurpose building works as a ticket office, restaurant, and free rest lounge.
①Restaurant
The souvenir shop sells goods and products associated with Ryusendo Cave and Iwaizumi, and there is a restaurant adjoining it.
The restaurant features dishes using Iwaizumi produce and there is a seasonal menu.
In a good seasons, the terrace seats are very popular.
②Rest Lounge
The second floor is a rest lounge, where you can relax in a chair, which like the tables, is made from local Iwaizumi timber.
The tea and water servers are for your use, free of charge During.
③Tourism Association
There is a section on the second floor where you can find the office of Iwaizumi Town’s tourism association.
④Office
This is the staff office.
We try to assist visitors by providing tourist information, storing lost and found items, and by looking after their pets.
Four Seasons at Ryusendo Cave
Parkland in the Past
This publicity photograph shows a wedding ceremony staged to promote Iwaizumi to tourists.
It shows the parade passing in front of Ryusendo Cave.
While this was a stageded wedding ceremony, a real wedding ceremony also took place inside Ryusendo Cave.
A garden scene outside Ryusendo Cave, taken in 1970.
Both the bridge and the Tourist Center looked quite different then.
Before 1930-31, when improvements were made to the present prefectural road, people crossed this bridge to the old Akka Cave.
At the time, this bridge was thought to be very modern and well-designed.
All the way from the town to where the water gushed out, most people traveled on foot because , cycling, cars (imported foreign cars) and horse riding were luxuries.
Bicycles of that time were of the old-fashioned type, called the ”large bicycle”.
This very old photo dates back to 1915.
It is taken in front of the current entrance to Ryusendo Cave.
This was taken around 1930, also in front of one of today’s entrances to Ryusendo Cave.
The flowing water is splashing out of the cave’s entrance.
Seen near the current entrance of Ryusendo Cave, this looks like the gentlemen of Iwaizumi Town were having a party!
Apparently, they enjoyed such party, exchanging sake-cups, several times a year.
Here is the old entrance of Ryusendo Cave.
The entrance was a natural cave opening which was located at a somewhat higher position than the current entrance.
To ensure tourists’ safety and the comfort, construction work was undertaken to change the entrance.
The bus which connected Morioka and Ryusendo Cave.
The photo was taken at around the time when ”Ryuusendo cave” was called Ryusenkutsu Cave.
At the time of the Ryusendo Cave Festival, increasing numbers of visitors came from within and the outside of the town.
In that decade, around 400,000 people visited each year.
Even to purchase a ticket, they had to stand in a long line.