The Tando River is a clear mountain stream in Morioka City, Iwate Pref. As the habitat of Ayu, Yamame and Iwana, the river is a treasure trove for anglers. Landscape changes from season to season, while the gentle stream consoles visitors all through the year. As there are so few people seen around, you may feel scared with its tranquility. Besides, there are several dangerous places along the promenade, you’d better not walk into the valley alone.
Otaki (the Big Waterfall) in Osori in Nishiizu Town, Shizuoka Prefecture, is a waterfall with a height of 48 meters and a width of 8 meters. It is one of the representative waterfalls in Izu Peninsula and is the biggest waterfall of over twenty waterfalls located in the upstream of the Nishina River and other rivers in the town.
The Otaki Waterfall is a literally big and dynamic waterfall with a large basin. When the river volume increases, it flows straight down the cliff with splashes of water. There is a slight terrace in the middle of the cliff, from which water flows down in a folding-fan shape. It is also called Heitagataki or Sankaitaki (the Three-story Waterfall) because it flows down in three stages. A rainbow can be seen, depending on the direction of the flow.
Visitors can enjoy seasonal changes in scenery including tender green in early summer and crimson foliage in fall.
Kurodani Gorge is located in the upstream of the Danto River, which flows into Lake Okuyahagi and join the Yahagi River. The gorge is about 2 km in length and filled with mysterious atmosphere.
The gorge is bustled with anglers in summer when the Ayu fishing tournament is held. They enjoy fishing in the brilliance of tender green reflected on the surface of the river. However, the most impressive is the gorge ablaze with autumn leaves. You will feel refreshed by the exquisite view of the clear stream.
A camping site and bungalows are provided in the vicinity, where you can stay and enjoy bountiful nature to your heart’s content.
There are seven waterfalls in a 300 meter stream of the Nohara River, which is located a little ahead from a village of Hodono in the eastern end of Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture. From the Ichi-notaki (the 1st waterfall) to the Nana-no-taki (the 7th waterfall), each waterfall is about 3 to 5 meters tall. The largest and widest one is the Nana-no-taki located down the Takimi Bridge. It flows down in two lines and has the largest basin.
Visitors are fascinated by the diversified flows of falls together with the surrounding magnificent views. The seven falls look differently according to the surrounding landscape that changes from season to season, each of which has its own beauty. The landscape of the Ni-no-taki (the 2nd waterfall) seen from the bridge in the foliage season is the most exquisite.
The Manai Waterfall in Takachiho Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, is an impressive waterfall, which symbolizes Takachiho, the land of myths and legends. It is selected as one of Japan’s 100 Fine Waterfalls.
Takachiho, a small mountain town situated in the center of Kyushu, in northern Miyazaki is one of the most sacred places in Japan, where the grandchild of Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, descended from the High Plain of Heaven. Takachiho is full of fascination for tourists, such as the sea of clouds floating over mountain villages, Takachiho Gorge with mystic atmosphere, simple and old-fashioned farm houses with chigi (ornamental crossbeams on the gable, mostly seen in a Shinto shrine) on the roofs and glorious mountains covered with tender green in spring and crimson foliage in fall.
The Manai Waterfall flows down the 17-meter perpendicular cliff made of columnar basalt in Takachiho Gorge. The waterfall gently flows down into the deep green water between the towering cliffs lit by the gentle sunlight. It is a breathtakingly beautiful landscape. The boats are available for rent and visitors can get right close to the waterfall.
Okhotsk Garden is a part of Monbetsu Park located in the central part of Monbetsu City, Hokkaido. The landmark of the park is an observatory for draft ice, from which you can command a panoramic view of the Sea of Okhotsk. In contrast to Monbetsu Park with open environment, Okhotsk Garden has a taste of a traditional Japanese garden with three artificial waterfalls, which flow down on the rocky cliffs. Walking through the grove of trees, you will loose sense of time in the gentle sounds of tremulous leaves. A lot of visitors come to enjoy natural beauty that changes from season to season; cherry blossom viewing in spring, the cool evening breeze in summer, and the crimson foliage in autumn. The garden is counted as one of 8 Fine Views in Monbetsu.
The Sorachi Otaki Waterfall is on the Sorachi River, the longest tributary of the Ishikari River, which flows out of Mt. Karifuru in the eastern part of Minami-Furano Town in Hokkaido. The river used to boast the large volume of water but now the volume is adjusted by the discharge from Takisato Dam built in the upstream. The origin of “Sorachi” is “sorapuchi,” which means “a flowing waterfall” in the Ainu language.
Although this waterfall is not very tall, it flows down vigorously with white splashes of water when the discharged volume is increased. During the foliage season, the red and yellow colors of the surrounding leaves together with oddly-shaped stones and rocks add zest to the flow of water.
Takeshiro Matsuura, who explored the entire Ezo-chi (Present-day Hokkaido) in the late Edo period (1603-1868), was moved by this vigorous waterfall flowing in twelve lines and included travel notes and sketches of this waterfall in his “Ishikari Diary.”
Shirohige-no-taki is a 30 m waterfall flowing down into the Biei River, which runs through the town of Biei in the central part of Hokkaido. This waterfall is unique in that it is not located on the river but the ground water, which flows out of the cracks in the cliff, directly flows down to the river. The water dynamically rushes down in dozens of white lines. This type of waterfall is rarely seen in Hokkaido; whereas the Shiraito-no-taki Waterfall in Yamanashi Prefecture is famous in Honshu.
However, even more distinctive is cobalt blue water of the Biei River. It looks as if pigmented with artist’s paint. The most fascinating landscape can be seen in fall, when the white water flows down into the cobalt blue river, which is surrounded with bright red and yellow leaves. No artist can compete with this collaboration of colors in nature.