I got comfortable with my new home in Hitoyoshi. I was with amazing people, had amazing food, and saw beautiful scenery. My parents use to live in Hitoyoshi so they had some recommendations of what to see. I went to explore a cave that they had explored while in Japan.

There were two different courses(standard or explore) and I wanted to do explore but the man said it was too dangerous if I didn’t speak or understand Japanese. We communicated all through google translate and I kept asking if I could still go and just follow the people in front of me. But he said it was the rules and since I already made the drive out I decided to settle for the standard course.

I was almost at the end of the course and another man that worked there came specifically to find me and was pointing at his helmet and said we had to go back. I did follow him back but the whole time I thought I did something wrong by exploring the cave with no helmet or guide. Once we got back out the guy that sold me the ticket was there and told me I could do the explore course but I would need a helmet and some hiking boots. I was really confused because everytime I asked him to do it he refused. He said he didn’t do it usually but there was a group of 3 doing it as well and that it was a special occasion.

After I did the explore course I finished the standard course from where I was before and there was only a little section left to explore. It was super hot in the caves and especially with having to wear a helmet.