5 Waterfalls in Wakayama worth your time

A collection of sacred waterfalls in a primeval forest used for centuries as ascetic training sites by Shugendo practitioners.

What it is

• A series of over sixty waterfalls located within the Nachi Primeval Forest.
• Forty-eight specific falls serve as designated training sites for Shugendo mountain asceticism.
• The sites are named after figures and concepts from Shinto, Buddhism, and Taoism.
• Historically a forbidden area, these falls were rediscovered and mapped in the early twentieth century.

What to see

• The second waterfall where Emperor Kazan once performed a thousand-day ascetic training.
• Waterfalls distributed across four different valleys within the protected mountain landscape.
• A 1931 scroll by Inada Beika used to identify the specific waterfall locations.
• The forty-eighth waterfall, which represents a mental state rather than a physical location.

When to go

• Every January for the two-day waterfall pilgrimage hosted by Seiganto-ji Temple.

Read more about 48 Waterfalls of Nachi

A scenic valley featuring an eight-meter waterfall and unique riverbed potholes designated as a Wakayama natural monument.

What it is

• A valley in Kozagawa Town featuring a waterfall and numerous riverbed potholes
• Designated as a natural monument by Wakayama Prefecture in 2010
• The riverbed consists of the Kumano Group Shimosato Formation along the Kogawa River

What to see

• A waterfall with a drop of approximately eight meters
• Numerous potholes carved into the rock of the riverbed
• Konpira Shrine grounds containing a stone from local legend
• The nearby roadside station named Takinohai Taro

When to go

• Summer until September to see goby fish climbing the waterfall rocks
• Mid-June for the start of the ayu fishing season
• Fishing season to observe the unique local Tonton fishing method

Getting there

• Accessible by bus from Koza Station

Read more about Takinohai

Japan's tallest single-tier waterfall serves as a sacred deity and is a UNESCO World Heritage site in Wakayama Prefecture.

What it is

• The tallest single-tier waterfall under Japanese administration with a vertical drop of 133 meters.
• A sacred site that serves as the deity of Hiro-jinja Shrine.
• One of Japan's Three Famous Waterfalls and a designated National Scenic Spot.
• A UNESCO World Heritage site where Emperor Kazan reportedly performed ascetic training.

What to see

• The main 133-meter vertical drop which is 13 meters wide at the top.
• A sacred rope at the top of the falls that is replaced twice a year.
• The surrounding area containing a total of forty-eight different waterfalls.
• Hiro-jinja Shrine where the waterfall itself is worshipped as a god.

Getting there

• Buses run to the falls from Kii-Katsuura and Nachi stations.

Official site

kumanonachitaisha.or.jp

Read more about Nachi Falls

A twenty-one meter waterfall in Shingu City recognized as one of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls for its natural beauty.

What it is

• A twenty-one meter waterfall located within the Kuwanoki Valley in Shingu City
• One of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls situated on a tributary of the Takada River
• A natural site surrounded by wild mountain mulberry trees in the valley

What to see

• The main waterfall drop measuring twenty-one meters into the valley
• Wild mountain mulberry trees growing throughout the surrounding forest area
• A guide sign located near the Kuwanoki Bridge for visitors
• The nearby Takada no Sato forest bathing site

Getting there

• Take a bus from Shingu Station to the Aiga stop
• Look for the guide sign positioned near the Kuwanoki Bridge

Read more about Kuwanoki Falls

A vertical drop waterfall in Wakayama's Oto Hikigawa Prefectural Natural Park, recognized as one of Japan's top 100 waterfalls.

What it is

• A vertical drop waterfall located within the Oto Hikigawa Prefectural Natural Park.
• One of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls, also known as Shinasegawa Falls.
• A site situated near the Hikigawa Gorge in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture.
• A location where a bypass of the Kumano Kodo once passed below the falls.

What to see

• The vertical drop of the water into the surrounding natural park landscape.
• An observation point located seven hundred meters east of Kukibashi.

Getting there

• The site is accessible via Wakayama Prefectural Route 37.
• An observation point is located seven hundred meters east of Kukibashi.

Read more about Haso Falls