Hiraodai Plateau
The Hiraodai Plateau, located in southeastern Kitakyushu City, is one of Japan’s three major karst landscapes, alongside Akiyoshidai and the Shikoku Karst. It holds multiple designations, including a National Natural Monument and Quasi-National Park. The plateau spans 6 kilometers north-south and 2 kilometers east-west, with elevations ranging from 300 to 700 meters. Its scenery is characterized by scattered limestone rocks that resemble grazing sheep. Beneath the surface lies an extensive network of limestone caves, among which the Senbutsu Cave is itself designated as a National Natural Monument.
Japanese Official Site (No English Page): Hiraodai Plateau http://www.hiraodai.jp
Karst plateau
A karst plateau is a distinctive landscape shaped by the erosion of soluble bedrock, primarily limestone. The characteristic features, both on the surface and underground, are formed as rainwater, which becomes slightly acidic from absorbing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and soil, dissolves the rock over time.
Limestone cave
A limestone cave is a type of karst landform. These caves form when slightly acidic rainwater or groundwater dissolves the limestone rock over long periods.
