Golden Pillar - Ougonchu

...The 1.5 km long, illuminated cave is open to the public, with the longest part being 200 m, and the highest part 40 m. The carbonated limestone dissolved in the groundwater has precipitated, resulting in the formation of various travertine formations. The beauty of the underground landscape is displayed in the stalactites such as "Umbrella-filled" that hang from the ceiling, the flowing stones such as "Eastern Stone", "Pumpkin Rock" and "Jellyfish Waterfall Climbing" that decorate the cave walls, the stalagmites such as "Maria Kannon" and "Gankutsuou" that extend from the cave floor, the "Golden Pillar" that is about 15 m high that connects from the ceiling to the cave floor, the giant travertine pillars such as "Fuji in the cave", and the travertine terraces such as "Senmachida" and "Hyakumaizara" that resemble rice terraces. In addition to Akiyoshido, there are more than 200 caves of various sizes in Akiyoshidai. The caves, where sunlight does not reach and where the temperature remains constant at 17°C all year round, are home to a variety of rare creatures, including discolored and eyeless spiders, amphipods, springtails and ground beetles, making them important academic research sites.

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention the "Golden Pillar" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…一般公開されているのは照明設備のある約1.5kmの間で，洞内は最も長い所で200m，最も天井の高い所で40mあり，地下水に溶存している炭酸石灰分が沈澱して，さまざまの石灰華生成物が発達している。天井から垂れ下がる〈傘づくし〉などの鍾乳石，洞壁をかざる〈土筆石〉〈南瓜岩〉〈くらげの滝のぼり〉などの流華石，洞床から上へのびる〈マリア観音〉〈巌窟王〉などの石筍（せきじゆん），天井から洞床までつながった高さ約15mの〈黄金柱〉，〈洞内富士〉などの巨大な石灰華柱，棚田のような〈千町田〉〈百枚皿〉などの石灰華段丘，いずれも地底の造化の美が繰り広げられている。秋吉台には秋芳洞のほかにも大小200以上もの洞窟があり，太陽光線が届かず一年中17℃と気温変化のない洞内には，褪色したり眼のないクモ類，ヨコエビ類，トビムシ類，ゴミムシ類など珍奇な生物がすみ，重要な学術研究地となっている。…

※「黄金柱」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報