Keya no Oto Park

Located on the coast of Itoshima City in Fukuoka Prefecture, Keya no Oto is Japan’s largest basalt sea cave, measuring 64 m high, 90 m deep, and 10 m wide. The hexagonal and octagonal basalt columnar joints seen from the sea are beautiful, and along with Genbudo Cave (Hyogo) and Nanatsugama (Saga), it is known as one of Japan’s three greatest basalt caves. It is also designated as a National Natural Monument.

The park spreading out behind it is a popular spot for its walking trail, an experience you won’t find elsewhere. The promenade leading from the parking lot into the park is lined with shrubs overlapping from both sides of the path, creating a tunnel-like scene that drew attention for looking just like the path leading to the forest where Totoro lives in the globally beloved Japanese anime <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i>. It came to be called “Totoro Forest,” and today tourists from Japan and overseas visit the area. After walking through the tunnel for Approx. 10 minutes, you’ll reach an observatory overlooking the back side of Keya no Oto and the expansive Genkai Sea.

If you have time, you may also want to visit nearby spots such as Kuroiso Coast and Oso Shrine, which enshrines Amaterasu Omikami and Izanagi no Mikoto.