Japan Cave

Finally we reached the water warm source in Cangar, Batu, East Java. It is in a forest and it took about 30 minutes from Malang. There are two swimming pools, the small and the big one. There were more visitors than we thought. There is also a pool special for women with walls built around it. They believe that the water is very good for the skin, so the women can wash their body there. But I saw that women here don’t dare to wear swimming suit or bikini. They always wear a pants or legging under their swimming suit. Even they don’t doubt to jump in the pool wearing their daily clothes.

Anugerah could not wait to swim but Pelangi didn’t have mood for it when she saw too much people just hanging around. When Anugerah swam in the pool, Pelangi and I just sat around the pool with our feet in the warm water. We sat there not long because the sun shone very warm. We didn’t stay long there and it’s no fun for Anugerah to swim alone with unknown people.

From the pool we went to Japan cave. It’s still in the forest but outside the swimming pool area. We need to walk about 500 meters upwards. Although there was a path we must be careful. The path is not maintained well and dry leaves make it slippery.

For me it was more difficult because I had to drag the bag with wet towels and sometimes Anugerah held my hand. But I like this adventure. I like to be outside in the nature with trees and not walls around me. I feel free.

Then we saw the cave. It’s very dark inside. There were 2 other people, a boy and a girl who visit this place just to be alone. I decided to go in. Anugerah wanted to go with me but Pelangi just stood outside. She would take pictures, she said. Then we walked in, the 2 teenagers were behind us. After about 3 meters we couldn’t see anything. The girl was afraid and went directly back to outside. Then it was just three of us. We need to stop and let our eyes adapt to the darkness. Then we walked further but after 1 meter we stopped again. The ground is not equal. The air became colder and very humid. We got an uncomfortable feeling so we went back to outside.

Not long after the first visit, we went there again. This time my husband also went with us. We brought flash lamp and went inside together. Again Pelangi just wanted to wait outside. This time we walked further than the first time. After a while the flash lamp didn’t come out in the darkness. But we could see another wall of the cave. It’s still further and again the uncomfortable feeling came again. So we just went back outside.

It is too bad that there is no story about the cave. From the name we know that the Japan soldiers have used it. But when? What for? What happened there? My children have also questions. How did they found the cave? Did they make it? If so, how? What have they done in the cave? How long did they stay there? How many people were there? Did they have to climb to get the cave like what we did? It must be very heavy since they also had to bring gun and other things and must do it very carefully so the enemy couldn’t hear or find them. Has somebody found his death there? Have Indonesian people also used the cave?

I think something horrible has also happened there. Maybe a murder or hara-kiri? It could be. It was after all a war. Honestly I was afraid when Pelangi took a picture of three of us inside the cave, that we would see four people on the picture. To my relief, there were just three of us, that boy, Anugerah and myself.

I think about the two teenagers. If they want just to be alone why don’t they go in the cave? I am sure that no people would disturb them. But I am not sure whether they would not be disturbed at all, ha..ha..ha.. Maybe this is their reason not to be there.

Sometimes people like darkness because they think they can do more there. They feel satisfied that they can hide things from others. Maybe people feel safe in the darkness but it’s just at the beginning. How deeper people go in the darkness how limited they can move. At one point, they don’t see any directions, shape, qualities etc. Doubt, uncertainty and even fear cover them. They will be stuck.

Light gives more. Everything is clearer. People see not only directions, shape, qualities, but also colors, expression and more. If you are stuck, you long to be released. People who are stuck in the darkness will long to see the light. I know, deep in their heart all people like to be free from doubt, uncertainty and fear.