History & travel
Unbeaten Tracks in Japan
Isabella L. Bird · 2005
Bird's 1878 letters include her stay at Nikko and trip up to Lake Chuzenji, the lake that feeds Kegon Falls.
Japan · Nikko, Tochigi
Kegon Falls
華厳滝
Draining Lake Chuzenji at the edge of Nikko National Park, the falls became infamous in early 20th-century Japan as the site of a widely publicized student suicide that briefly turned the spot into a grim cultural touchstone. An elevator descends through the cliff to a platform at the base for a straight-on view.
One of Japan's three greatest waterfalls Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Kegon Falls drops 97 metres (318 ft) on the Daiya, inside Nikko National Park. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Nikko, with HND the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
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 Kegon Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Nikko are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Autumn foliage (Oct-Nov) and fresh spring snowmelt give the most dramatic viewing conditions.
Entry: Elevator to base viewing platform ~¥570
Getting there
- Base town Nikko
- Airport HND
- Country Japan
- Region Nikko, Tochigi, East Asia, Asia
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Kegon Falls
Japan
Height97 mWidth—
Most similar
Abe Great Falls
Japan
Height80 mWidth4 m
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in Japan too
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
80 m
97 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Abe Great FallsKegon FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Abe Great Falls
4 m
Angel Falls is 10× taller than Kegon Falls. It is about the same height as Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Kegon Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Kegon Falls
8:22
2:09
6:06
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
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.
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
36.7414, 139.5011
Quick answers
Where is Kegon Falls?
Kegon Falls is in Japan (Nikko, Tochigi), inside Nikko National Park. The nearest base is Nikko and the closest airport is HND. Its coordinates are 36.7414, 139.5011.
How tall is Kegon Falls?
Kegon Falls drops 97 metres (318 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall on the Daiya.
When is the best time to visit Kegon Falls?
Peak flow is May to June and October to November. Autumn foliage (Oct-Nov) and fresh spring snowmelt give the most dramatic viewing conditions.
What can you do at Kegon Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
How do you get to Kegon Falls?
The usual base is Nikko, and the closest airport is HND. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Elevator to base viewing platform ~¥570.
Nearby
Closest to Kegon Falls
Ryūzu Falls
Japan · 210 m · 5 km away
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Fukuroda Falls
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Yonako Falls
Japan · 100 km away
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