29‏/07‏/2013

Nachi Waterfall

One of the most impressive landscapes in Japan

By Virginia Gonzalez

Community writer

My camera run out of battery minutes before getting here but, luckily, I managed to take a shot of one of the most impressive landscapes of Japan; the Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine with the Nachi-no-otaki fall in the background

Walking to the Nachi-no-otaki waterfall from the village at the base of the mountain is a long and tiring journey but the view of the waterfall is well worth the effort

The Kumano area is considered to be sacred. Small shrines and other objects of worship can be found along the path towards the waterfall

It's not Jurassic Park, it's the mountains that surround the area. The Kumano landscape is always covered with beautiful, green forest.

A Chinese Paifang (a gate similar to the Japanese Torii that usually marks the transition from a profane to a sacred place) located near Nachi waterfall

The view of Nachi-no-otaki waterfall is impressive from any angle. This shot was taken from the nearest road to the falls

The route to the Nachi-no-otaki waterfall leads to this area which, at the time of writing, remains under construction due to the damage by the powerful typhoon that hit Wakayama Prefecture in 2011

The place under the waterfall is usually quiet and not too crowded. Sitting on a bench, visitors can relax to the sound of water

Omikuji; fortune papers tied to cherry tree branches facing the waterfall

View of the mountains from a window at a restaurant just outside the falls area. Souvenirs can also be purchased here

An abandoned Chinese temple on the way up to Seiganto-ji Buddhist temple

The Kumano Nachi Taisha sacred gate

Seiganto-ji temple is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as Nachi Taisha shrine. Their location is not random; the Nachi waterfall was a site of worship before the Kumano Sanzan complex was built

The Nachi Taisha shrine is one stop for those walking the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route. The beauty of the place left them speechless

It is believed that travelers who walk the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, after all the suffering and effort of hiking for weeks at a time along arduous paths, will reach internal peace and a one-way ticket to paradise, whatever that is. I am not going to lie; I did not do the whole pilgrimage thing. Not even close. I am far too weak, so I doubt I reached any spiritual salvation, but I got something better, a view of what I consider to be one of the most impressive landscapes in the world: the Nachi-no-otaki waterfall, seen from near Seiganto-ji temple and Nachi Taisha shrine. I guarantee you will never want to leave that spot.The Nachi-no-otaki fall, with its 133 meters of vertical drop, is the highest waterfall in Japan, and it has been a place of worship for centuries.

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Virginia Gonzalez

By Virginia Gonzalez

Community writer

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