Ryusoga Waterfall (Ryusogataki [龍双ケ滝])

Ikeda / Imadate County, Fukui, Japan

About Ryusoga Waterfall (Ryusogataki [龍双ケ滝])

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Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

The Ryusoga Waterfall (ryusogataki [龍双ケ滝]; “Twin Dragon Falls”) was an attractive 60m fan-shaped waterfall spreading over its underlying rounded rock surface as it drops into the Hiedagawa River (though Garmin’s map called it “Hekogawa”).

It had a nice rippling appearance that was very conducive to taking long exposure photographs, which was made easier by railings to help stabilize the camera (assuming a tripod wasn’t brought).

Ryusoga_018_07042023 - The Ryusoga Waterfall in the Fukui Prefecture
The Ryusoga Waterfall in the Fukui Prefecture

This waterfall has some notoriety because it’s the Fukui Prefecture’s only waterfall that was chosen to be on the Japan Top 100 Waterfalls List, which was published in 1990 by the Japan Ministry of the Environment.

That said, we had a difficult time trying to capture the entirety of the waterfall in photographs given how close we were to it combined with the waterfall’s overall size.

Our visit took place in early July 2023, which was pretty much Summer, and that meant the foliage around the falls was probably the thickest.

I’d imagine that the Ryuso Falls would be best visited in the Autumn when the leaves start falling in addition to changing colors, which really makes the waterfall photogenic.

Experiencing the Ryusoga Falls

Ryusoga_044_07042023 - The local road 34 passing right before the Ryusoga Falls
The local road 34 passing right before the Ryusoga Falls

This was essentially a roadside waterfall as the local road 34 passed right before it (see directions below).

However, due to rockfall issues, signs indicated that you’re not supposed to park in the nearest pullout (which only has room for a car or two anyways).

Instead, the signs indicated that you should park at larger lots about 200m before or 150m after the falls, and that was what we did to better ensure our cars would have a rock smash them.

Once we got to the larger lot, we then walked back on the road to the falls, where we could better experience the falls’ scale and characteristics.

Ryusoga_059_07042023 - Approaching the Ryusoga Falls after having parked our car at the second lot a little to the east of the falls
Approaching the Ryusoga Falls after having parked our car at the second lot a little to the east of the falls

From further away, we could better appreciate its scale though there was always some kind of foliage obstruction so photos didn’t do it justice.

From up close (especially at the bottom of the steps leading down to its base), the falls was almost overwhelming as there was no way we could capture the whole thing in one frame (even in pano mode on an iPhone).

At least there was plenty of spray at the falls, which offset the humidity in the Summer, and it was a refreshing roadside stop considering how much driving on narrow roads were involved to even get here (as well as getting out of here).

Overall, we spent about 30 minutes away from the car though the vast majority of that time was spent taking pictures and videos.

Ryusoga_019_07042023 - Looking down at part of the base of the Ryusogataki Falls with another cascade on the Hiedagawa Stream to the topright of this photo
Looking down at part of the base of the Ryusogataki Falls with another cascade on the Hiedagawa Stream to the topright of this photo

Finally, it’s worth noting that given its location along a single-lane road deep in the mountains between Ikeda and Ono, access to the falls would not be possible in the Winter (especially between December and March) due to snow.

Heck, even during our early July 2023 visit, there were still lots of fallen branches on the single-lane road, which goes to show you how quick and primitive the road conditions here were.

The Meaning Behind Ryuso

It’s said that the Ryuso Falls (which can also be referred to as Ryusoga Falls, Ryusogataki, Ryuso Waterfall, Ryusoga Waterfall, Ryusogataki Falls, etc.) was named after a priest who also went by the name of Ryuso.

This monk apparently performed ascetic practices at the falls while carving images of deities and of Buddha.

Ryusoga_015_07042023 - Context of an eerie-looking doll sitting in a small alcove next to the local road 34 by the Ryusogataki Falls
Context of an eerie-looking doll sitting in a small alcove next to the local road 34 by the Ryusogataki Falls

To that effect, we did notice one small eerie-looking doll put into a small alcove shrine in the forbidden pullout across the falls (though I’m not sure what that was all about).

Another legend said that there was once a dragon who lived in the water, and it would use the waterfall to climb out of the gorge and then fly into the sky.

The word ryu (龍) means “dragon” and the word so (双) means “twin” so I’d imagine its translation literally means “twin dragon” or “dragon twin”.

Authorities

The Ryusoga Waterfall resides between Ikeda and Ono, which are both east of Echizen of the Fukui Prefecture. It is administered by the Ministry of the Environment. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, you can try visiting the Ikeda Farm Village Tourist Association website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: ryuso falls, ryusogataki, ryusoga falls, ryusoga taki, japan, ikeda, fukui



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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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