Wakayama Nachi Falls

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Wakayama Nachi Falls are famous for being the biggest single-drop waterfall in Japan. They are spectacular!

The waterfall is 133 metres tall and every second a ton of water bursts over the cliff!

It is a spiritual and special place. It’s not only awe-inspiring but it also functions as the home of the deity of the Hiro Shrine.

Wakayama Nachi Falls — Nachi Falls are the longest, uninterrupted waterfall drop in Japan

Pass through a large cream-coloured Tori gate to find stunning Nachi Falls. Beyond the gate, descend the majestic stone stairs to the Falls area.

From here you have an amazing view of the Falls, however, you can also pay 300 yen to go to the falls viewpoint where you can get even closer.

Nachi Falls complex

The Nachi Falls complex is large and sprawling. There is much more to see than just the waterfall. It is a sacred place and part of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage.

850 year old camphor tree — Kumano Nachi Taisha

Kumano Nachi Taisha

This shinto shrine is located around 350 metres above sea level and half-way up Nachi Mountain. Visiting this shrine makes you feel as though you are in the clouds!

Kumano Nachi Taisha is one of the three Kumano shrines and part of the famous Kumano Kodo pilgrimage.

Kumano Nachi Taisha is a great place to get off the bus and start your exploration of the area, as it’s all downhill to the other sites from here.

Sacred camphor tree

This sacred tree is 850 years old and functions as a symbol of rebirth.

It’s possible to enter this tree with a small offering or with your ema (wooden wish tablet) and emerge from the tree reborn, or blessed.

The tree is decorated with straw rope (shimenawa) and paper lightning flags (shide) to indicate the tree’s holiness.

sacred 850 year old camphor tree — You can enter this sacred 850-year-old camphor tree

Seiganto-ji

Seiganto-ji is a Tendai Buddhist temple built around 5th century and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This ancient temple is a stunning and rare example of a shrine temple (jingu-ji), where a Buddhist Temple was built with a Shinto Shrine, both dedicated to the same local god. Most shrine temples were destroyed due to the Shinto and Buddhism separation act of 1868.

In addition to the beautiful wooden temple, Seiganto-ji has a stunning three-tiered pagoda overlooking Nachi Falls.

For a small fee of around 300 yen, you can enter the pagoda and climb the stairs to view the falls from the pagoda’s balcony. This is recommended as being able to enter a pagoda isn’t common in Japan.

Seiganto-ji at Wakayama Nachi Falls — Seiganto-ji is a temple dating back to the 5th Century

Seiganto-ji pagoda at Wakayama Nachi Falls — Pay 300 yen to enter the pagoda for a beautiful view of the falls

Cost

The Nachi Falls Complex is free to enter, however, there are three options to pay small fees to enjoy the area to its fullest:

Pagoda – 300 yen to enter. It’s worth it for the views over the Falls and the opportunity to go inside a pagoda which is rare in Japan.
Falls Viewpoint – 300 yen to enter. This is worth it to see the Falls up close and even feel the water misting over your face. The viewpoint does close in rainy weather.
Homotsuden Treasure Hall – 300 yen to enter. It’s worth it to see the ancient artefacts of this complex including a 500-year-old mandala, manuscripts, a collection of mirrors used on portable shrines during the fire festival and much more.

Hours: 6am – 4:30pm

Address: 1 Nachisan, Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro District, Wakayama 649-5301

Tips for Wakayama Nachi Falls

Wear comfortable shoes as there are a lot of stairs and uneven surfaces and it can be slippery, especially in the wet.

If you visit early in the morning, you will encounter less people and a serene atmosphere.

Don’t skip the falls even in the rain, it can make a powerful impact.

Take your time to visit all the sites of the Nachi complex, not just the falls.

Get off the bus at the highest point, the Kumano Nachi Taisha, then walk to the other sites as the others are downhill.

Restaurants at Wakayama Nachi Falls

There are just a few restaurants/cafes at the Wakayama Nachi Falls offering local cuisine such as soba and ramen. Their lunch sets cost around 1200 yen.

These restaurants also offer gifts and delicious soft cream options.

It’s a great option to stop a one of these restaurants and have a bite to eat and relax overlooking the falls while you rest. Try to plan your visit outside of regular lunch hours (12:00 – 1:00pm) for less crowds.

Wakayama Nachi Falls location

Nachi Falls is located in a misty, evergreen forest in southern Wakayama Prefecture.

Nachikatsuura, known as ‘tuna town’ is the closest main town to Nachi Falls, and a great place to base yourself to explore the area. This town provides beautiful views with plenty to do when visiting the falls.

How to get to Wakayama Nachi Falls

From Kii-Katsuura station, catch the Nachi bus up to the Nachi complex which includes the Kumano Nachi Taisha, Seiganto-ji and the stunning Wakayama Nachi Falls. You can also join the bus from Nachi Station.

The bus ticket to the Nachi complex costs 1,200 yen per adult (12 and over) and 600 yen for children (7-11 years old).

The bus has a few stops along the way: Nachi Station – Daimonzaka – Kumano Kodo – Nachi no Taki Mae (Nachi Falls) – Nachi san (Kumano Nachi Taisha).

If you feel like hiking, alight the bus at Daimonzaka and walk up the mountain to the Nachi site (around 3 hours), otherwise alight at Nachi san (Kumano Nachi Taisha) and then walk to the other sites.

You can take the bus back from any of the stops listed for no extra fee.

Where to buy tickets for Kumano bus at Kii-Katsuura Station — Take a bus to Wakayama Nachi Falls from Kii-Katsuura Station

How to get to Wakayama

Wakayama Prefecture is located in the Kansai region of Japan, just south of Osaka and next to Nara and Mie prefectures.

From Osaka, take the Kuroshio Express (panda train) to Wakayama. This train takes a scenic route along Wakayama’s coast to Shingu. Ensure you buy a ticket for a train that stops at Kii-Katsuura Station for Nachi Falls. Not all the Kuroshio Express trains stop at Kii-Katsuura.

Panda train Kuroshio Express — Take the cutest panda train to Kii-Katsuura from Osaka, Wakayama City or even Kyoto

The closest airport to the Wakayama Nachi Falls is Nanki-Shirahama Airport. From this airport you can rent a car, take a Kumano limousine bus to Kii-Katsuura station or take local trains and buses

Where to stay near Wakayama Nachi Falls

The best place to stay near Wakayama Nachi Falls would be the small town of Nachikatsuura. This town has a lot of interesting sites and provides easy access to the Falls via the Kumano bus.

Hotels in Nachikatsuura:

Kamenoi Hotel Nachi Katsuura – This hotel has amazing rooms overlooking the ocean and incredible meals. Some rooms even have onsen baths on the balcony. For more information on this hotel see this article.

The Kamenoi Hotel Nachi Katsuura has beautiful views and scrumptious traditional meals

The Taoya Hotel – This is another hotel with exceptional food and onsen facilities on the water.
自由自屋 – This hotel offers a more budget-friendly option with a traditional tatami floor room in an excellent location close to the station and the tuna market.