This is what Koke no Domon looked like in September 2007. I remember walking quite a lot. Because of the risk of collapse we couldn't go all the way in, but the moss gate was magnificent. Maybe because of the ions the moss gives off, the surroundings were cool, and I remember it feeling really pleasant. When light shines in, the scenery changes completely into a mysterious sight. It was a wonderful place, but since you have to walk a lot, I thought it was a course for young and energetic people.

Originally you could go inside, but due to the risk of collapse access was limited to the viewing platform at the entrance, and then that platform was damaged by heavy rain, and it has remained closed for a long time. There's no sign of any push to restore it; it's a place people have forgotten (from a nature conservation standpoint, maybe that's for the best).

Koke no Domon (Moss Cave Gate) Kokenodomon Shikotsunai, Chitose City, Hokkaido Formed by lava that flowed out when Mt. Tarumae erupted About 30 kinds of moss grow densely on the walls Open from early June to late October

Koke no Domon is currently closed. The photo shows Lake Shikotsu and Mt. Eniwa on the opposite shore, taken after going down from the Koke no Domon parking lot to the lakeshore.

Closed? October 11, 2019