Taishakukyo Valley: Fall Foliage, Boat Tours and more!

About the valley

The boat going across the valleys

Taishakukyo Valley is the result of the Taishaku River eroding the pre-existing karst plateau. Karst plateaus are formed of limestone, a soft rock that dissolves easily in water. The creation of the valley also birthed other natural wonders, such as limestone caves and pillars.

The 18-kilometer valley can be separated in to the upper stream, or Kami-taishaku (上帝釈), and the lower stream, or Shimo-taishaku (下帝釈). Each area possesses their own, unique charms. Here is an overview of each area:

Kami-taishaku Area – 上帝釈

Kami-taishaku is the northern/upper stream of the Taishaku River. There is a path along the Taishaku River so you can walk along the stream.

Eimyo-ji Temple – 石雲山永明寺

Eimyo-ji Temple

Near the Northern entrance of the valley is Eimyo-ji Temple. Though you cannot enter inside the temple, the exterior of is a beautiful traditional build and matches pleasantly with the surrounding scenery. The name of Taishaku Valley actually comes from this temple, as the deity worshipped here is named Taishaku.

Onbashi – 雄橋

Onbashi Bridge

Onbashi is one of the world’s three largest natural bridges. It is a result of water caving away from the inside of a huge block of limestone. The bridge measures 90 meters long, 40 meters tall and 18 meters wide. It is nicknamed Kouno-bashi (神橋), meaning holy (神) bridge (橋), due to its magnificence.

Haku-un Cave – 白雲洞

Haku-un Cave

Though there are many caves in the Taishaku-kyo Valley, the Haku-un Cave is the only one you can enter and explore. The cave, like the rest of the valley, is made up of limestone, and is 200 meters deep. Inside the cave, you can see stalagmites, which are rock formations on cave floors created by the limestone dripping from the ceiling. You can find other natural wonders such as stone pillars and chunks of limestone.
【Fees】
General: ¥250
High school students: ¥200
Elementary / junior high school students: ¥150

【Opening hours】
9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.
Open from Mar. 1 – Dec. 10

＊Closed on Thursdays from Mar. 6 – July 10
＊Open every day from July 17 – Dec. 10

Oni-no-karamon – 鬼の唐門

Oni-no-karamon

Oni-no-karamon, literally meaning the demon’s gate, is a cave entrance. The cave itself is not open, but you can go through the entrance “gate”. The gate is made of limestone, and like Onbashi, is a result of eroded limestone.

Dangyo-kei – 断魚渓

Dangyo-kei stream

Dangyo-kei points to the area of the Taishaku River with the fastest stream. The name “Dangyo (断魚)” originates from the saying that the stream is so fast that it cuts off (断) a fish’s (魚) journey upstream. The geological makeup of this area is the oldest in the valley.

Shimo-taishaku/Shinryu-ko Area – 下帝釈/神龍湖

Shimo-taishaku is the southern/lower stream of the Taishaku River. The area is well known for its incredible view during the fall months.

Shinryu-ko Lake – 神龍湖

Shinryu-ko Lake

Shinryu-ko Lake was formed when the Taishaku River was dammed in 1924. The dam, named Taishaku-gawa Dam, was the first to be built in the Chugoku region. The lake has a profound circumference of 24 kilometers, and is surrounded by the Chugoku Mountains.

Shinryu-bashi – 神龍橋

Shinryu-bashi

The big red bridge spanning across the lake is Shinryu-bashi. The bridge was built in 1930, and was originally named Koyo-bashi. You can walk across the bridge or admire it from afar.

Sakura-bashi – 桜橋

Sakura-bashi

Sakura-bashi locates a bit more south compared to Shinryu-bashi. The 70 meter bridge is slightly smaller than Shinryu-bashi. You can see Sakura-bashi from below by going on the Shinryu-ko boat tour.

Enjoy Every Inch of Taishaku-kyo Valley!

Shinryu-ko Boat Tour – 遊覧船

The boat going across Shinryu-ko

Walking along the Taishaku River and exploring the valley by foot is definitely a must. But another popular way to delve into nature at Taishaku-kyo is by going on the boat tour in Shinryu-ko Lake. Enjoy the 40-minute boat ride and see the bridges and mountains from below.
【Fees】
General (junior high school students and older): ¥1200
Children: ¥600

Events

Fall Foliage Festival –　帝釈もみじ祭り

From late October to mid December, you can catch the fall foliage at Taishaku-kyo. The surrounding mountains are covered with maples and gingkos tinted red and yellow. During the fall foliage, special food vendors sell autumn specialties like grilled sweetfish and wild boar skewers.

Access

Nearest station: Tojo Station 東城駅 (JR Geibi Line); Taishaku Bus Stop 帝釈

From Hiroshima Station

【Hiroshima Sta.】Highway Bus Tojo Line / for Tojo-eki-mae
→【Tojo Sta.】Bihoku Bus Shiju Line / for Shuji-shako
→【Taishaku Bus Stop】

From Fukuyama Station

【Fukuyama Sta.】JR Sanyo Main Line / for Banshu-Ako
→【Kurashiki Sta.】JR Hakubi Line / for Niimi
→【Niimi Sta.】JR Geibi Line / for Tojo
→【Tojo Sta.】Bihoku Bus Shiju Line / for Shuji-shako
→【Taishaku Bus Stop】

From Hiroshima Airport

【Hiroshima Airport】Hiroshima Airport Bus Line / for Fukuyama-eki-mae
→【Fukuyama Sta.】JR Sanyo Main Line / for Banshu-Ako
→【Kurashiki Sta.】JR Hakubi Line / for Niimi
→【Niimi Sta.】JR Geibi Line / for Tojo
→【Tojo Sta.】Bihoku Bus Shiju Line / for Shuji-shako
→【Taishaku Bus Stop】

Healing spot surrounded by nature

Taishakukyo Valley is a scenic spot that represents Japan's beauty. The spacious view of the never-ending nature is a sight to see. You will not get tired of it even if you looked at it for a whole entire day. If you are going to go around the whole valley, renting a bicycle would be the most convenient.

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