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About | Access | Hotels & Lodging | Hours & Fees

Kegon Waterfall near Nikko Japan by Jordy Meow (CC BY-SA 3.0)

 

About

Kegon Waterfall or Kegon Falls (in Japanese; Kegon No Taki 華厳の滝) is the Nikko areas most famous waterfall and always places high as a top "beautiful waterfall" in Japan (in various "rankings").  It is almost 100 meters tall (one of the top 3 highest waterfalls in Japan) and is the "exit" drainage for Lake Chuzenji which becomes the Oshiri River. You can view the waterfall in many places but the two easy locations are 1.) a "free" platform that is easily accessible by foot and 2.) a "paid" platform at the base of the falls (your ride an elevator for around 600 yen, 100 meters down to the base) that gives you a much better view.  A 3rd option that gives you a view of Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Waterfall is by riding the ropeway from Akechidaira Plateau and viewing from the Akechidaira Observatory.

The waterfall is so high that the spray created by the water falling into the precipice below can fill the whole area making the falls themselves all but invisible. Sometimes the mist produced does not disperse, but rises into the air forming what is effectively a cloud, visible from a long way away. Like many of the sights around Nikko, Kegon Falls is said to have been discovered by the Buddhist Monk Shodo Shonin.  He was an advocate of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism (known as the Kegon school in Japanese Buddhism), after which he named the falls.

Kegon Waterfall is an EXTREMELY popular autumn color viewing spot. The trees around the waterfall are usually most colorful from mid to late October. In winter the waterfall is beautiful as well because it freezes almost completely solid.

Kegon Waterfall is in the Nikko Area of Japan. See our Nikko Area page for a complete guide.

 

Access

Closest Train Station: Nikko

2479-2 Chugushi
Nikko, Tochigi 321-1661 Japan

Tel: 288-55-0030

You can get to Kegon Waterfall by car or bus. From the JR or Tobu Nikko Stations it takes about an hour. If your going by bus take a "Tobu Bus" and get off at "Chuzenjiko Onsen" bus terminal and it is a short walk from there. If our driving, there are signs that mark the spot very well.

Google Map

 

Hotels & Lodging

Recommended

View a full list of Hotels and Lodging in or nearby Kegon Waterfall.

 

Hours & Fees

Hours: December-February: 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.March-April and November: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. May-September: 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.October: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Closed: Never

Cost: 13+: 550 yen | Under 5-13: 330 yen | Under 5 is free

Information presented is based on the time it was created. There may be changes since publication. Please confirm information by visiting the Official Website before visiting.

 

Resources

Website: Kegon Waterfall Homepage