One of Shintō's loveliest shrines honours the cave where Amaterasu hid. The cave itself is off-limits, but Nishi Hongū (the shrine's main building) sits right across the river Iwato-gawa. If you're with a Japanese speaker, ask a staff member to show you the viewpoint behind the honden (main hall). Buses leave approximately hourly (¥300, 20 minutes) from Takachihō's Miyakō bus centre.
A seven-minute walk beside a picturesque stream takes you to Ama-no-Yasukawara , a deep cave where tradition says that thousands of other deities discussed how to lure Amaterasu from the cave. Modern-day visitors have left innumerable stacks of stones in tribute, imparting a sort of Indy Jones feeling.
