Nachi Falls

Nachi Falls

Nachi Falls is located in Nachikatsuura Town, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It stands 133 meters high, is 13 meters wide, and has a plunge pool 10 meters deep. Along with Kegon Falls and Amida Falls, it is known as one of Japan’s Three Great Waterfalls. On July 1, 2004, Nachi Falls was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.

Nachi Falls is also called "the Three-Stream Waterfall" because the falling water splits into three streams over the rock surface, hence the name. Since ancient times, Nachi Falls has been a site for Buddhist and Shinto spiritual practice and is said to be the sacred body of Fudarakusan Shrine, a detached shrine of Kumano Nachi Taisha. Known as Japan’s No. 1 waterfall, it is surrounded by a diverse array of plants. The sacred waters of the falls are believed to have life-extending properties, so many visitors hope to taste them.

There are two best spots to view Nachi Falls. One is Fudarakusan Shrine, built at the base of the waterfall, where you can look up at its majestic descent and hear the thundering roar of the water up close. Visitors interested can also enter the shrine to worship and drink the sacred water said to prolong life. The other vantage point is in front of the three-story pagoda of Seiganto-ji Temple on the mid-slope of Mount Nachi, offering a bird’s-eye view of the waterfall plunging down into the hundred-meter-deep valley.

Nachi Falls

Must-see reason: Japan’s most famous waterfall

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia【Asia】

Country/region where the attraction is located: Japan[Japan]

Province/state where the attraction is located: Wakayama Prefecture [Wakayama Prefecture]