Guidebook
Lonely Planet Japan
Lonely Planet · 2024
The 18th edition covers Nikko, the Kii Peninsula and Ibaraki, so one book handles Kegon, Nachi and Fukuroda.
Japan · Toyama Prefecture
Hannoki Falls
Hannoki Falls, in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, is the tallest waterfall in Japan at a height of 497 m . However, it is a seasonal waterfall, which only has water from April to July when the snow covering the Midagahara plateau melts, so its neighbor, Shōmyō Falls, is usually considered the tallest.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Hannoki Falls drops 497 metres (1,631 ft), inside Chūbu-Sangaku National Park. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Tateyama, Japan. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Hannoki Falls is the tallest of the 44 waterfalls we cover in Japan. As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Hannoki Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Tateyama are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Getting there
- Base town Tateyama, Japan
- Country Japan
- Region Toyama Prefecture, East Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Hannoki Falls
Japan
Height497 mWidth—
Most similar
Curug Cipendok
Indonesia
Height500 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in Indonesia
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
108 m
330 m
497 m
500 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerHannoki FallsCurug CipendokAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 2.0× taller than Hannoki Falls. It drops 4.6× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Hannoki Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
The Rough Guide to JapanRough Guides
Guidebook
The Rough Guide to Japan
Rough Guides · 2024
A current alternative to Lonely Planet, with practical detail on rail passes and getting to Nikko and the Kii Peninsula.
DK Eyewitness JapanDK Eyewitness
Guidebook
DK Eyewitness Japan
DK Eyewitness · 2024
Illustrated coverage of Nikko's shrines and the Kumano sites, handy for understanding what surrounds Kegon and Nachi.
On the map
36.57528, 137.52333
Quick answers
Where is Hannoki Falls?
Hannoki Falls is in Japan (Toyama Prefecture), inside Chūbu-Sangaku National Park. The nearest base is Tateyama, Japan. Its coordinates are 36.5753, 137.5233.
How tall is Hannoki Falls?
Hannoki Falls drops 497 metres (1,631 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Hannoki Falls?
Peak flow is May to July and October to November. Snowmelt and the June rains fill the falls; October and November add autumn colour.
What can you do at Hannoki Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Hannoki Falls?
The usual base is Tateyama, Japan. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Hannoki Falls
Shōmyō Falls
Japan · 350 m · 0 km away
Shōmyō Falls are located in the town of Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. It is the highest waterfall in…
Yonako Falls
Japan · 80 km away
Yonako Falls , literally "Yonako Large Waterfalls" ) is a waterfall located in Yonako, Suzaka City, Nagano…
Kitashōji Falls
Japan · 35 m · 120 km away
Kitashōji Falls is a waterfall in northern Yamanashi Prefecture Japan, on the Ishiutoro River, an upper…
Ryūsō Falls
Japan · 120 km away
Ryūsō Falls is a waterfall in the town of Ikeda, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, on a branch of the Kuzuryū River.…