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Jinba Waterfall (jinba-no-taki [陣馬の滝])

Fujinomiya / Mt Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan

About Jinba Waterfall (jinba-no-taki [陣馬の滝])

Rating: 2
Difficulty: 1
Hiking Distance: almost roadside
Suggested Time:
Date first visited: 2023-07-24
Date last visited: 2023-07-24
Waterfall Latitude: 35.36632
Waterfall Longitude: 138.5611
Directions: Get to the waterfall
Vicinity: Find nearby waterfalls
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The Jinba Waterfall (jinba-no-taki [陣馬の滝]; “Battle Horse Falls?”) was perhaps the one waterfall that the family (especially the kids) enjoyed the most.

While most waterfalls that we encountered during our July 2023 road trip in Japan were mostly look-but-don’t-touch, this one is not only scenic, but it lets you play.

Jinba_030_07232023 - The Jinba Waterfall near Mt Fuji
The Jinba Waterfall near Mt Fuji

And play they did as the kids wound up building rock bridges in the nice, cool, clear waters of the Gotomeki or Gotomoku River (五斗目木川).

The Jinba Falls (I’ve also seen it called Jimba Falls) is said to drop some 5m with a width of 20m, but most of the waterfall emerges as springs from the underlying porous lava surface.

Thus, in addition to being quite a fun place to interact with a waterfall (especially compared to the neighboring Shiraito Falls), it was also scenically alluring.

It’s said that this waterfall got its name from Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝) who was the first shogun in Japan from 1192 to 1199.

Jinba_067_07232023 - The kids enjoying themselves building rock bridges at the Jinba Falls while other visitors were just enjoying the scenery
The kids enjoying themselves building rock bridges at the Jinba Falls while other visitors were just enjoying the scenery

Legend has it that he set up camp at the falls while wind hunting (simultaneously sports hunting and honing martial arts skills) in Mt Fuji one day in 1193.

The word 陣馬 or jinba could be translated to mean “camp” or even literally “battle horse”.

While camping, he heard a drum-like sound at the base of the Jinba Falls, which turned out to come from a hollow stone, which he named “Taikoishi” (蛸石 or “drum stone”), and apparently this stone is still there today.

During our visit, I guess we were too caught up with just enjoying the falls to even look for it so that was a bit of a miss on my part.

Jinba_001_07232023 - It was a short walk from the car park to the Jinba Falls along this paved promenade
It was a short walk from the car park to the Jinba Falls along this paved promenade

In any case, this was an easy waterfall to visit as it was a very short 300m walk from the car park (see directions below) to the waterfall itself.

Although we didn’t do it, we saw some people actually wade up the river from further downstream along the Gotomoku River.

Indeed, we spent about 45 minutes away from the car, but for all intents and purposes, this was pretty much a short jaunt waterfall where you can linger more than you walk.

Authorities

The Jinba Waterfall resides near the city of Fujinomiya in the Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It may be administered by the Fujinomiya City Government. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, you can try visiting the Fujinomiya City website.

Jinba_003_07232023 - Looking back at the car park for Jinba Falls where it was clear that Mt Fuji was getting clouded over this late in the afternoon, but you could see it from here
Jinba_001_iPhone_07242023 - Context of the start of the short promenade to the Jinba Falls from the car park
Jinba_005_07232023 - The family going down the short promenade besides a garden and park-like area on the way to Jinba Falls
Jinba_006_07232023 - Lots of signage around the Jinba Falls as we were getting very close to the Gotomoku River
Jinba_007_07232023 - I wasn't sure what this building was for, but no one was going towards it during our late July 2023 visit
Jinba_008_07232023 - The family descending towards the Jinba Falls
Jinba_014_07232023 - Context of some people already cooling off in the Gotomuku River while we kept going right to the base of the Jinba Falls
Jinba_020_iPhone_07242023 - Contextual look at people enjoying themselves at the Jinba Falls
Jinba_015_07232023 - The kids got right to playing in the river while Julie and I were about to cross the river onto that patch of dry area in front of the falls to take pictures
Jinba_025_07232023 - Looking across some of the segments of the Jinba Falls
Jinba_032_07232023 - Another broad look at the three main segments of the Jinba Falls
Jinba_039_07232023 - Looking downstream at the kids still enjoying themselves playing in the Gotomuku River
Jinba_042_07232023 - Closer look at one of the segments of Jinba Falls emerging from some springs
Jinba_048_07232023 - Even with the cloudy conditions, Jinba Falls still exhibited some pretty nice blue color in its water
Jinba_050_07232023 - Another broad look across the main segments of the Jinba Falls fronted by the blue waters of the Gotomoku River
Jinba_053_07232023 - Bright broad look across the main segments of the Jinba Falls
Jinba_058_07232023 - Just to give you a sense of scale of the Jinba Falls, this fellow was sitting and contemplating in front of the waterfall
Jinba_063_07232023 - Looking back at the end of the paved part of the short promenade to the Jinba Falls from within the Gotomoku River
Jinba_076_07232023 - More people descending upon the Jinba Falls
Jinba_099_07232023 - Dad chilling out on a bench at the Jinba Falls
Jinba_007_iPhone_07242023 - Broad look at the Jinba Falls in pano mode
Jinba_012_iPhone_07242023 - It was possible to wade through the plunge pool and get behind the Jinba Falls given the deepness of its alcove
Jinba_013_iPhone_07242023 - Closer look at another one of the springs making up the Jinba Falls on its far left side
Jinba_018_iPhone_07242023 - Another look at the fun scene before the Jinba Falls
Jinba_102_07232023 - Looking over some kind of garden and lawn that seems to have been given a lot of care alongside the Jinba Falls Promenade


The Jinba Waterfall is located just north of the city of Fujinomiya.

There are many ways to get here, but I’ll just describe the route that we took from Kawaguchiko as well as from Shiraito Falls, which was nearby.

Jinba_104_07232023 - Looking back at one side of the elongated car park for the Jinba Falls with Mt Fuji kind of clouded over (though you could see it from here)
Looking back at one side of the elongated car park for the Jinba Falls with Mt Fuji kind of clouded over (though you could see it from here)

From Kawaguchiko, we’d drive find our way towards the Route 139 (a major road going east-west through the city), and then head west.

We’d drive on the Route 139 for about 28km to the turnoff for the local road 414 following a sign for Lake Tanukiko.

Then, we followed the local road 414 for about 2.5km before turning right onto a small local street (there should be a sign for Jinba Falls here) before driving the remaining 200m to the car park.

Overall, this 32km drive took us around an hour (though GoogleMaps claims it should only take 40 minutes).

Jinba_002_07232023 - Looking in the other direction at the other half of the elongated car park for the Jinba Falls
Looking in the other direction at the other half of the elongated car park for the Jinba Falls

From Shiraito Falls (just north of Fujinomiya), we basically just stayed on the Route 414 west for 1km and then north (continuing on route 414) for another 6.6km before turning left onto the local access road to Jinba Falls.

This drive took us about 15 minutes.

For some geographical context, Fujinomiya was about 45km (at least an hour drive) southwest of Kawaguchiko, 48m (about 1 hour drive) northeast of Shizuoka, 217km (about 2.5 hours drive) east of Nagoya, 161km (about 2.5 hours drive) south of Matsumoto, and 144km (about 2 hours drive) southwest of Tokyo.

Find A Place To Stay

540 degree sweep showing all the springs as well as kids playing before ending at the main falls


Sweep in a counterclockwise direction showing each spring as well as context (at least as much as I could show)


Elevated sweep of the context of the falls and play area

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Tagged with: jinba falls, jinbanotaki, jinbano falls, jinbano waterfall, fuji, fujinomiya, kawaguchiko, makaino, springs, play waterfall, shiraito falls



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Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
Read More About Johnny | A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls.