Japanese cave

Afif Ikhwanul Muslimin

Islamic State University of Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang

 

Where do you always spend your holiday? Do you always go to mall for shopping and watching movie? Or do you just go to the town square and spend your long time there with the crowd of people? Then, you will feel bored someday since those are the same places for you to end your holiday. Well, I have an alternative for you. The place is untouched by anyone. It is original, fresh, and full of historical story. The place is called as Japanese cave.

            Have you ever heard the name “Japanese Cave?” When you go to the north of Malang city, exactly to Batu city, after you pass Selecta Water Park, you will find a street with so colorful flowers on each side. The flowers vary, such as Bougainville, lily, and you will meet the Ingu Laut (Reservation of all kinds of roses). On the other hand, miscellaneous trees are standing with fresh green leaves stand with high trunk and the very large vegetables farm field bring a wonderful background for our sight. In addition, the hilly place with little bit turning street makes the trip to the destination seems challenging. Furthermore, the Arjuno mountain on our right side and Panderman mountain on our left side complete the beauty of the scenery and able to hypnotize us. In the end, after you pass the gate of Sidomulyo village please slow down and pay attention to your left and find a gang with Board sign says “Coban Talun”. Then, turn left, follow the road, and you will meet many apple gardens.

            Approximately 8 minutes after you have passed the gang, you will find a greet word “Welcome to Coban Talun”. Japanese cave is actually in the same area as Coban Talun water fall. But, it is on the opposite direction when you take walk after you have arrived on the camp ground of in Coban Talun.

When you have already stand on the camp ground, directly park your vehicles on the parking lot and remember do not forget to secure them first before you leave them. Bring your drink, crackers, and do not bring too many things in your bag because your track will be around 1.5 km far and the road is still natural with mud and unbalanced landscape on the farm field. But, do not worry it will be worthy. On the side of the parking lot, there is a land road with Jeep tire mark, follow it until you find the turning and you see farm filed with many banana trees in front. Next, go out of the road and go ahead to a footstep road in front of you. At this time, your adrenalin will be challenge to walk on grassy footstep with bushes around and steep land edge on your left as Brantas river bank. After you have walk for 10 minutes from the turning road, put your sight on your right side and a brown stone huge cave with many small vegetation is ready to amaze you.

The Japanese cave based on the people around explanation after I had interview was place for Japanese army to take rest after they had war to Indonesian before Indonesia got its independence. In sometimes, the Japanese used the cave as place to compile goods from villagers or as stockpile and saved them as soldiers’ war food back up.

The cave is huge if you see from front side. It is 20 meters tall high and 20 meters wide. You can come in by passing the entrance with 4 meters wide and tall. There is no lamp at all, so that you must bring flash light to get your sight. From the entrance, it is more or less 20 meters till you find the three junctions of the path. You must choose whether you want to go right or left. Again, after you pass the junctions you will feel like you are buried under the land without any slight of light. In the middle of the cave you will find curve wall construction just like other made cave.  The wall was made with full of cement with big and strong pillars. So, it is safe and reminds us to the era at the time Japan have tried to conquer Indonesia. If you walk deeper to the cave, your path will be ended with a big thick cement wall which no one knows whether that is the end of the cave or it was Japanese intention to keep their path.

This cave is wonderful, amazing, challenging, contains much history, and can be your alternatives when you want to pump your adrenaline up. But, if you do not have much brave, I suggest for not entering the cave because it is really untouched and natural.