Kosaka Nanataki Waterfall (kosaka-nanataki [小坂七滝])

Hachimantai District / Kosaka, Akita, Japan

About Kosaka Nanataki Waterfall (kosaka-nanataki [小坂七滝])

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Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

The Kosaka Nanataki Waterfall (kosaka nanataki [小坂七滝]; “Kosaka 7 Falls”) was a pretty convenient roadside waterfall situated between Kosaka and Lake Towada.

Although I didn’t personally couldn’t tell, it’s said to have seven drops (the word nana means “seven” in Japanese, which you might also be able to tell from the kanji).

Nanataki_060_07102023 - The Kosaka Nanataki Waterfall
The Kosaka Nanataki Waterfall

Whether these tiers are really there or not, it’s said that the Kosaka branch of the Yoneshiro River drops over a cumulative height of 60m (which seemed kind of generous in my mind).

Nevertheless, it’s one of Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls as gazetted by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment in a 1990 publication.

Around the bottom of the waterfall was a waterwheel as well as a shrine, which adds a bit more variety to a short visit here.

Regarding that shrine, a legend says that a landowner called Magozaemon threw firewood over the falls, which was a forbidden act, in a gesture to show off his power.

Nanataki_070_07102023 - The Nanataki Shrine seen on the way to the Nanataki Waterfall
The Nanataki Shrine seen on the way to the Nanataki Waterfall

As the firewood fell, a pained groaning came from the falls just as the earth and the heavens shook.

When the firewood hit the water, it never resurfaced, and soon thereafter, Magozaemon was bedridden with disease.

It turned out that the falls was the incarnation of a snake spirit, who appeared in magozaemon’s dreams to curse him for his arrogance.

Ultimately, it was only when Magozaemon built the Nanataki Shrine (which we were able to visit) that his sins were absolved.

Nanataki_029_07102023 - The bridge going over the Arakawa Stream to access the bottom of the Nanataki Waterfall
The bridge going over the Arakawa Stream to access the bottom of the Nanataki Waterfall

As far as our visit was concerned, we never really got a wholesome look at the entirety of the Nanataki Waterfall due to foliage obstructions.

This was especially true the closer we got to the base of the waterfall, where it appeared way shorter than it really was.

Regardless, we ultimately spent a little over 30 minutes away from the car, which was parked in a large car park fronting some Farmer’s Market and a restaurant (see directions below).

Most of that time was spent taking pictures while also checking out the Nanataki Shrine, which was just past the bridge fronting the waterfall.

Authorities

The Kosaka Nanataki Waterfall resides near the town of Kosaka in the Hachimantai District of the Akita Prefecture, Japan. It may be administered by the local authorities of Kosaka. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, you can try visiting the Akita Tourism website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: hachimantai, kosaka, tohoku, yonishiro river



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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.
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