Taishaku Gorge is an 18 km-long ravine along the Taishaku River, one of the tributaries of the Takahashi River in Shōbara and Jinseki Kōgen, Hiroshima. It was once part of an underground cave system, but in prehistoric times, uplift raised it to the surface of the earth and the roof collapsed into the river. Remnants of the roof remain in places as picturesque arches. The valley is part of the Hiba-Dōgo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park. It’s known for its maples and autumn leaves. 

The nearby Jiyūkan archaeological museum has many fascinating exhibits of the stone age Jōmon period life revealed by excavations in the gorge, including a female human skeleton.