Nachi Falls
那智の滝
A 133 m waterfall in Kumano, one of Japan's tallest single-drop falls. Worshipped as a god itself, it forms Kumano's classic view beside a vermilion pagoda.
A waterfall that is itself a god
Nachi Falls is in the mountains of the town of Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture. It drops 133 m, is 13 m wide at the top, and about one tonne of water pours over it every second. Along with Kegon Falls (Tochigi Prefecture) and Fukuroda Falls (Ibaraki Prefecture), it is counted as one of Japan's three great waterfalls, and it is also a national Place of Scenic Beauty.
The falls are the goshintai (the object in which a god is believed to dwell) of Hiro Shrine, a betsugu (a branch shrine standing apart from the main one) of Kumano Nachi Taisha. For this reason Hiro Shrine has no main hall, and people pray directly towards the falls.
Because the water splits into three strands near the top, it is also called Misuji no Taki, the "Three-Strand Falls". In 2004 it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site as part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.
Seeing the falls up close
At Hiro Shrine you pray facing the falls directly. You can get even closer at the Otaki Haisho Butai (the falls worship platform), for which there is a charge. The platform lets you see the falls head-on from the nearest point. The water of the plunge pool is said to bring long life.
Seiganto-ji's three-storey pagoda and Daimon-zaka
Near the falls is Seiganto-ji, the first fudasho (one of the temples visited in order on a pilgrimage) of the Saigoku Thirty-Three Pilgrimage, said to be Japan's oldest pilgrimage route. The area behind its main hall is known as a photo spot where you can capture Nachi Falls and the vermilion three-storey pagoda side by side.
If you have the time and energy, you can also walk up Daimon-zaka, an old pilgrims' approach. It takes about 40 minutes to reach the falls on foot.
Getting there
From JR Kii-Katsuura Station, take a bus for about 25 minutes to the Nachi-no-Taki-mae stop, right by the falls. For Seiganto-ji, walk from the Nachisan bus stop. If you drive, you can use the shrine's car park and others. Check the Kumano Nachi Taisha official website for the platform's fee and hours.
Tips
- Don't just look up at the falls from in front: also see the view of the three-storey pagoda and the falls together from behind Seiganto-ji's main hall.
- If you walk up from Daimon-zaka, it is uphill all the way, so wear comfortable shoes.
- Kumano Nachi Taisha and Seiganto-ji are right nearby. Leave time to explore the whole of Mount Nachi, not just the falls.
Sources
Updated 28 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
