Kaminaridaki, Nagano Prefecture: A Thundering Waterfall That Can Be Viewed from Behind

Kaminaridaki (Thunder Falls) is a spectacular waterfall located in the village of Takayama, Nagano Prefecture. It is the most impressive of the many falls in the scenic Matsukawa Gorge. The water drops from a 30-meter-high cliff onto the rocks below, producing a great fountain of spray, along with the thunderous roar from which the waterfall takes its name. Kaminaridaki is especially popular as a tourist destination during the summer, when visitors enjoy the fresh air cooled by the spray and mist at the bottom. Erosion over the ages has carved a recess in the base of the cliff large enough to accommodate a walkway on which tourists can view the falls from behind. Japan has a number of other urami-daki or “view-from-behind” waterfalls, but none comes close to matching the scale of Kaminaridaki.

(Originally published in Japanese. Created in cooperation with Goolight.)