Yaba-kei Gorge / Ao-no-domon耶馬溪・青ノ洞門

A manually dug old tunnel. A gorge completely filled with strange-shaped rocks and stones of various sizes.

Yaba-kei Gorge, situated in a northwestern part of Oita, is a grand gorge created through a lava plateau of the largest scale in Japan by the flow of Yamakuni-gawa River. Extending 36 km east and west and 32 km north and south, this huge gorge full of strange-shape rocks and stones is a spectacular sight.

According to a legend, a monk who witnessed travelers have much difficulty in walking on a precarious path on the side of a steep cliff dug an approximately 185 m-long tunnel known as "Ao-no-domon" with only a chisel and a hammer. It said that it took him more than 30 years to complete the tunnel.

Among the tourist spots of Shin-yaba-kei is a view spot called "Hitome Hakkei" commanding a view of eight huge rocks including Kaibo-ho, Sennin-iwa, Gun'en-zan, Meoto-iwa and Kan'non-iwa. There are many more sights to see -- Keisekien, a garden about 20,000 m² in area constructed in commemoration of the completion of the Yaba-kei Dam, the Rakan-ji Temple where more than 3,700 stone figures of the Buddha stand and Kyoshuho, a major sightseeing spot in Yaba-kei which is reputed for its beautiful red and yellow tree leaves in autumn. Tourists in Yaba-kei will never get weary of its numerous fine spots to see.