Tsuzumigataki Falls

Though decidedly off the beaten path, this waterfall offers enough to make the trip worth it for hikers willing to trek out. In addition to the natural beauty of its lush green surroundings and the five Buddhist carvings in the rock wall beside it, the waterfall hides a secret for visitors to discover: there is a cave behind the falling water. Inside the cave is another statue depicting Benzaiten, a goddess associated with water, fortune, music, and all other things considered to “flow.”

When the river’s waters are low, the waterfall can reduce to a series of thin threads of falling water, for a unique sight to behold. When this happens, the cave behind the waterfall also functions as a resonance chamber, amplifying and enhancing the sound of the water — said to be the origins of the waterfall’s Japanese name, which literally means “Tsuzumi Drum Falls.”