Ohashi Collection Museum displays a remarkable collection assembled by Sotokichi Ohashi, the discoverer of Hida Great Limestone Cave. Opened in 1987, the museum is located within the grounds of the limestone cave attraction. Situated along the route to the cave entrance, it can be conveniently visited as part of the same excursion.
Admission to Hida Great Limestone Cave also includes access to the collection museum, making it easy for visitors to explore both attractions during their visit.
The museum houses approximately 1,000 exhibits collected by Ohashi using his own funds. Including smaller items, the total exceeds 3,000 objects. The collection features works of art, decorative objects, distinctive stones, unusual rock formations, and fossils.
One of the most notable exhibits is a gold ingot originally valued at approximately 200 million yen. It was created in 1989 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the discovery of Hida Great Limestone Cave.
In 2007, the gold ingot was stolen in a robbery. The perpetrators were later arrested, and the gold was recovered and returned. However, it had been broken into several pieces and reduced partly to powder. Today, the exhibition includes a lead replica modeled after the original ingot, allowing visitors to learn about this unusual episode in the museum’s history.
Hida Great Limestone Cave is a popular tourist cave located at an elevation of approximately 900 meters, making it one of Japan’s highest-altitude limestone caves open to visitors.
Inside, visitors encounter fantastical underground scenery with evocative names such as “Night View of the Dragon Palace” and “Dream Palace.” The cave is particularly notable for its unusual helictites—rare formations that grow in twisting, irregular directions rather than following the usual downward growth pattern of stalactites.
The limestone formations developed over immense periods of time. Approximately 250 million years ago, the region was covered by the sea, where marine organisms such as coral contributed to the formation of limestone. Over countless years, underground water gradually shaped the cave’s distinctive formations.
The average temperature inside the cave remains around 12°C throughout the year, making it a refreshing place to escape the summer heat. Located between central Hida Takayama and the Okuhida hot spring area, the cave is also a convenient stop for travelers exploring the region.
Discover the mysterious underground scenery and experience the extraordinary natural forces that have shaped this remarkable limestone cave over millions of years.