Ben Kenobi's cave was a dwelling situated within the Dune Sea desert of the planet Tatooine; it served as the hideout for the exiled Jedi Master Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi in 9 BBY.
A decade following the Republic's collapse and the Empire's emergence, Obi-Wan sought shelter in a cave, a strategic location for monitoring Anakin Skywalker's offspring, Luke Skywalker. His possessions were minimal, and he frequently observed Luke from a distant cliff. One day, Senator Bail Prestor Organa contacted Obi-Wan, informing him of his adopted daughter, Leia Organa's abduction by Bounty Hunters, and requesting assistance. Obi-Wan initially declined. Upon returning to his cave, Obi-Wan encountered Senator Organa and was eventually persuaded to rescue Leia, despite his initial reluctance. After Leia's safe return, Obi-Wan gathered his belongings and vacated the cave, seeking a new home for habitation.
The cave made its initial appearance in the first episode of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Kenobi's modest abode was inspired by the original script for Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which depicted Ben residing in a cave. Although the location was later changed to a hut during Episode IV's production, blueprints still referred to his dwelling as a "cave." Placing Kenobi in a cave at this juncture served multiple narrative purposes. As detailed in DK Publishing's Star Wars: Complete Locations map, Kenobi's hut was quite distant from the Lars homestead, and the series required him to be closer to maintain surveillance over the farm.