- Activity
- Nara
Mifune Waterfall
Mifune Waterfall is beautiful in every season, especially during the winter
Located in the mountains in western Nara Prefecture, Mifune Waterfall is roughly 50 meters high with the waters tumbling in two tiers. The scenery is beautiful in the spring to early summer with fresh greenery, as well as in autumn as the waters fall amid the vibrant foliage. However, the most impressive scenery is during the harsh cold period of winter when the entire waterfall freezes into a spectacular ice waterfall. Enjoy trekking along the natural phenomenon, a rare opportunity in the relatively warm Kansai region.
Niukawakami Kamisha Shrine
Believed to enshrine the dragon Takaokami-no-Okami, the Niukawakami Kamisha (Upper Shrine) was constructed around 675 in the village of Kawakami where Mifune Waterfall is located. The dragon is a deity that controls water and rain, and has been the object of worship when praying for or stopping rain by countless people from ancient times, including the imperial courts and leaders of the country. The Niukawakami Nakasha (Middle Shrine) is located in Higashiyoshino Village, and Niukawakami Shimosha (Lower Shrine) is situated in Shimoichi Town.
Sannoko Primeval Forest
Deep in Kawakami Village, in the Sannoko district where the headwaters of the Yoshino River lie, is a forest untouched for over 500 years. The Togasawara, or Japanese Douglas fir, native to this area is a species of conifer in the pine family that was once widely found in the Northern Hemisphere several million years ago, but is mostly extinct due to climate change and other factors. Today, the species endemic to Japan can only be seen here in addition to the central southern Kii Peninsula and a limited part of eastern Kochi Prefecture, and is called a "living fossil." The Sannoko River Togasawara Primeval Forest was designated as a natural monument by the Japanese government in 1929.
Location
| Name | Mifune Waterfall |
|---|---|
| Website | (In Japanese) http://www.vill.kawakami.nara.jp/kanko/docs/2017022500119/ |
| Address | Ikari, Kawakami-mura, Yoshino-gun, Nara |
| Access | From Yamato-Kamiichi Station on the Kintetsu Railway, take the Nara Kotsu Bus to Yumori Onsen Suginoyu (final stop), change bus and ride to Takigi bus stop, then walk approximately 120 minutes to the entrance of Mifune Waterfalls. From there, walk approximately 5 minutes. |
| Inquiries | TEL: 0746-52-0111 (main phone) (Kawakami Village Tourism Association) |
| Admission | Free |