The Iwaya Caves is a small cave system on the westerly side of Enoshima Island. We were initially iffy about including the entry fee into this cave when we were picking up the Enoshima Island pass after arrival. But we decided to go for it since it’s unlikely we’d be coming back to this area anytime soon after this trip.
According to the guide notes: the Iwaya Caves were formed through centuries of tidal erosion. There are staff stationed at the first cave who will pass lit candles to you, but the cave is lit enough that you won’t stumble even if you don’t take the candle.
There are two caves, and both are fairly small and you can cover both in about 15 minutes. The second cave that’s at the furthermost end is also lit up as Winter Illumination, and it turns what would otherwise be an ordinary and small cave into something else: both surreal and serene at the same time. The first cave has two separate paths that are accessible at the same entrance, while the second cave is connected by a 128m long footbridge where you can get expansive views of Sagami Bay, with continuous waves crashing against the rocky shoreline.
One last post in this series covering our visit to Enoshima Island: Winter Illumination!