Turnback Cave

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Turnback Cave もどりのどうくつ Returning Cave
Location:	Sendoff Spring
Region:	Sinnoh
Generations:	IV
Location of Turnback Cave in Sinnoh.
Pokémon World Locations

Turnback Cave (Japanese: もどりのどうくつ Returning Cave) is a maze-like cave filled with dense fog which is home to the Legendary Pokémon, Giratina. Turnback Cave is located at the north-central region of Sendoff Spring, which itself may only be accessed through the Spring Path. In Diamond and Pearl, in the room Giratina resides in is an inscription that implies the cave is a location where the separation between the real world and the Distortion World is weaker. This is more or less confirmed in Platinum, where a portal to the Distortion World appears in front of the inscription.

The only way to locate Giratina is to pass the three pillars before passing through thirty rooms. The best hint to navigate the puzzle is to look at the pattern of rocks on the floor of each room, and enter the door out of the three which has the odd pattern. When the three pillars have been encountered the first time, Giratina will be in the next room. Escape Ropes are not usable, but if one turns back and leaves through the door from which they entered, it will warp them directly to the first room. When the player reaches a pillar and examines it two numbers will appear: the top number indicates which pillar the player is looking at, and the bottom indicates how many rooms have been passed through on the way to it.

After catching Giratina, one can return through the cave to obtain a rare item, depending on how many rooms it takes to reach Giratina's room again. In just 3 rooms, the item will be a Reaper Cloth; 4 to 15 will earn a Rare Bone; 16 to 30 will earn a Stardust. Over 30 rooms, of course, will return the player to the entrance. Riding the Bicycle seems to increase the chance of next entering a pillar room. Rare items regenerate by returning to the cave each time, and they can even be received with Giratina still in the room. In Pokémon Platinum, it will have an item and the portal to the Distortion World.

Geography

Rooms and pillars

A pillar

There is much mystery shrouding Turnback Cave, in relation to getting consistently to Giratina's room. Rooms occur randomly when the player goes through an entrance. The only way to locate Giratina is to pass the three pillars before passing through thirty rooms. The best hint to navigate the puzzle is to look at the pattern of rocks on the floor of each room, and enter the door out of the three which has the odd pattern. Riding the Bicycle also seems to help. When the three pillars have been encountered the first time, Giratina will be in the next room. Each pillar has two numbers on it: the top number indicates which pillar the player is looking at, and the bottom indicates how many rooms have been passed through on the way to it.

Version	Between Entry and 1st Pillar	Between 1st and 2nd Pillar	Between 2nd and 3rd Pillar	Giratina's Room
Diamond
Pearl
Platinum

Items

• Reaper Cloth: Every time the player reaches the last room by passing through only 3 rooms.
• Rare Bone: Every time the player reaches the last room by passing through 4-15 rooms.
• Stardust: Every time the player reaches the last room by passing through 16-30 rooms.

Pokémon

Altered Forme Giratina at Turnback Cave in Platinum

Pokémon		Games			Location	Levels	Rate
	Golbat	D	P	Pt	Cave	45, 46	30%
	Haunter	D	P	Pt	Cave	44, 45	30%
	Bronzor	D	P	Pt	Cave	44 45	5%
	Bronzong	D	P	Pt	Cave	45, 46	35%
	Golbat	D	P	Pt	Cave	17-27
	Gastly	D	P	Pt	Cave
	Haunter	D	P	Pt	Cave
	Duskull	D	P	Pt	Cave
	Dusclops	D	P	Pt	Cave
	Chimecho	D	P	Pt	Cave
	Chingling	D	P	Pt	Cave
	Bronzor	D	P	Pt	Cave
	Bronzong	D	P	Pt	Cave
	Lunatone	D	P	Pt	Dongle (Sapphire)	44, 46	8%
	Solrock	D	P	Pt	Dongle (Ruby)	44, 46	8%
	Giratina Altered Forme	D	P	Pt	Cave	70	Only one
	Giratina Altered Forme	D	P	Pt	Cave	47	Only one*
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here. Note: Listed levels are for Pokémon encountered before the first pillar. Levels of Pokémon encountered increase by 10 for every pillar that has been passed. Otherwise, encounter rate is the same.

Trivia

• In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, the item that can be obtained in the last room can be found right behind Giratina, hidden out of sight.
• In Pokémon Platinum, if Giratina is not caught in the Distortion World then it will appear here, in the final room instead of the portal to the Distortion World. However, after it has been battled, the portal will appear where it was.
• Turnback Cave is similar to locations in Kanto and Hoenn. In Kanto, Cerulean Cave can only be visited after obtaining the National Dex, and is home to high level Pokémon and a level 70 legendary Pokémon. However, Hoenn's Sky Pillar is perhaps more similar, since while it is home to high level Pokémon and a level 70 legendary, in the third game of that region, it can be visited before the Elite Four.
• Turnback Cave and the Distortion World may draw some inspiration from the Japanese underworld, Yomi. Giratina itself can be seen as a parallel to the kami Izanami.

In other languages

• Spanish: Cueva Retorno
• German: Höhle der Umkehr
• Italian: Grotta Ritorno

See also

• Sendoff Spring
• Spring Path
• Distortion World

Sinnoh Gym: Oreburgh City • Eterna City • Veilstone City • Pastoria City Hearthome City • Canalave City • Snowpoint City • Sunyshore City Other: Twinleaf Town • Sandgem Town • Jubilife City • Floaroma Town Solaceon Town • Celestic Town • Fight Area • Survival Area • Resort Area League: Pokémon League Routes: 201 • 202 • 203 • 204 • 205 • 206 • 207 • 208 • 209 • 210 • 211 • 212 • 213 • 214 • 215 216 • 217 • 218 • 219 • 220 • 221 • 222 • 223 • 224 • 225 • 226 • 227 • 228 • 229 • 230 Landmarks: Lake Verity (Lakefront) • Oreburgh Gate • Oreburgh Mine • Ravaged Path • Valley Windworks • Eterna Forest The Underground • Wayward Cave • Mt. Coronet • Lost Tower • Solaceon Ruins • Lake Valor (Lakefront) • Great Marsh Fuego Ironworks • Iron Island • Lake Acuity (Lakefront) • Spear Pillar • Victory Road • Pal Park • Distortion World Stark Mountain • Battle Zone • Battle Park (Tower/Frontier) • Snowpoint Temple • Sendoff Spring • Turnback Cave Fullmoon Island • Newmoon Island • Seabreak Path • Flower Paradise • Hall of Origin

This article is part of Project Locations, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every location in the Pokémon world.