Nunobiki Falls
An urban oasis chosen as one of Japan’s best 100 waterfalls
Together with Nachi Waterfall (Wakayama Prefecture) and the Kegon Falls (Tochigi Prefecture), the famous Nunobiki Falls are counted as one of Japan’s three great divine waterfalls and were also selected as one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls. This cascade along the middle course of the Ikeda River is located around 15 minutes’ walk from Shin-Kobe Station on a hiking course: an urban oasis. Negative ions drift around as you approach the waterfall, creating a wide space that can relieve day-to-day tiredness.
The Nunobiki Falls are made up of four waterfalls: Ontaki, Mentaki, Meotodaki, and Tsutsumigadaki, and you can enjoy each of their different features. Ontaki Fall has an overwhelming presence, with a majestic 43-meter cascade. The impressive flow resembles a falling white cloth, and visitors are captivated by its beauty. Ontaki Fall is also associated with a romantic legend: Otohime, Princess of the Palace of the Dragon King, lives here, and the water of the falls is her hanging her clothes out to dry.
Historically, these waterfalls also appear in the 10th-century Tales of Ise, and have been loved by numerous nobles and poets since ancient times.
The waterfall area, surrounded by lush nature, includes walking paths on which you can make the most of the stunning scenery through the four seasons, and is great for hiking. There are plenty of highlights, including the Ontaki Chaya tea house, built in 1914, where you can take a break and watch the water; the Miharashi Observation Platform, offering panoramic views of Kobe’s streetscape; and Tokkouin Temple, home of a two-story pagoda that is an Important Cultural Property. You can also see both the falls and the streets of Kobe from the ropeway as you head to the Nunobiki Herb Gardens along the way.
The Nunobiki Falls are made up of four waterfalls: Ontaki, Mentaki, Meotodaki, and Tsutsumigadaki, and you can enjoy each of their different features. Ontaki Fall has an overwhelming presence, with a majestic 43-meter cascade. The impressive flow resembles a falling white cloth, and visitors are captivated by its beauty. Ontaki Fall is also associated with a romantic legend: Otohime, Princess of the Palace of the Dragon King, lives here, and the water of the falls is her hanging her clothes out to dry.
Historically, these waterfalls also appear in the 10th-century Tales of Ise, and have been loved by numerous nobles and poets since ancient times.
The waterfall area, surrounded by lush nature, includes walking paths on which you can make the most of the stunning scenery through the four seasons, and is great for hiking. There are plenty of highlights, including the Ontaki Chaya tea house, built in 1914, where you can take a break and watch the water; the Miharashi Observation Platform, offering panoramic views of Kobe’s streetscape; and Tokkouin Temple, home of a two-story pagoda that is an Important Cultural Property. You can also see both the falls and the streets of Kobe from the ropeway as you head to the Nunobiki Herb Gardens along the way.
Category
Basic information
- Zip code
- 〒651-0058
- Address
- Fukiai-cho, Chuo-ku Kobe-shi 兵庫県
- Telephone Number
- 0570-090-800
- Inquiries
- Kobe Tourism Bureau navi dial (weekdays: 08:45–17:30)
- Access (public transport)
- Approx. 15 mins’ walk from JR Shin-Kobe Station
- Parking
- None
