Photographer-recommended hidden gem in Kansai: an "emerald green cave" in the valley where you can see through to the riverbed

Reported and photographed by reporter Tsai Wen-jun / Japan

Penghu has its Blue Cave, but in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, there is a "green cave" hidden within the mountains and forests. Wakayama boasts a diverse range of natural hidden spots, among which the Kozagawa River in the south has been selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Hidden Places, 100 Best Famous Waters, and 100 Best Geological Sites. Extending from a tributary of the Kozagawa River lies a waterfall called "n葜?荨" (Note: likely a placeholder name) with a height difference of about 8 meters. The clear waters of the waterfall have eroded the rock to form a stunningly transparent pool, which Japanese photographers highly praise as the "hidden treasure of the south."

▲ The "Emerald Green Cave" hidden in southern Wakayama Prefecture.

▲ To admire the "Emerald Green Cave," you must first cross a riverbed scattered with uneven potholes.

▲ The waterfall and the valley floor have a height difference of about 8 meters.

▲ The area around the n葜?葜 waterfall (placeholder) and its vicinity extends roughly 100 meters along the riverbed. The rocks are dotted with potholes in various shapes such as round and boat-bottom forms. To view the n葜?荩 (placeholder), you must walk along the designated path; only then can you get close enough to appreciate the waterfall and the clear pool.

▲ %The rushing waters here form a truly beautiful "translucent pool."