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 · Oguni
Nabegataki Falls
The Nabegataki Falls is a waterfall located in Oguni, Aso District, Japan, on the border between Kumamoto and Ōita Prefectures. The waterfall is 9m tall with a width of 20m.
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.
Nabegataki Falls drops 10 metres (33 ft) across a face roughly 20 metres wide. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Oguni, Japan. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Nabegataki Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Oguni are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Getting there
- Base town Oguni, Japan
- Country Japan
- Region Oguni, East Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Nabegataki Falls
Japan
Height10 mWidth20 m
Most similar
Devathura Falls
Sri Lanka
Height10 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in Sri Lanka
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
10 m
10 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Nabegataki FallsDevathura FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Nabegataki Falls
20 m
Angel Falls is 98× taller than Nabegataki Falls. Victoria Falls is 11× taller and 85× wider. Khone Phapheng Falls is 539× wider. 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
33.1375, 131.03556
Quick answers
Where is Nabegataki Falls?
Nabegataki Falls is in Japan (Oguni). The nearest base is Oguni, Japan. Its coordinates are 33.1375, 131.0356.
How tall is Nabegataki Falls?
Nabegataki Falls drops 10 metres (33 feet), across a face about 20 metres wide. It is a cascade-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Nabegataki 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 Nabegataki 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 Nabegataki Falls?
The usual base is Oguni, Japan. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
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