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 · Akita Prefecture
Nanataki Falls
Nanataki Falls is a waterfall in the Hachimantai district of Kosaka, Akita Prefecture, Japan, on the Kosaka branch of the Yoneshiro River. It is one of "Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls", in a listing published by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment in 1990.
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.
Nanataki Falls drops 60 metres (197 ft) on the Yoneshiro River. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Kosaka, Japan. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
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 Nanataki Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Kosaka are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Getting there
- Base town Kosaka, Japan
- Country Japan
- Region Akita Prefecture, East Asia, Asia
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Nanataki Falls
Japan
Height60 mWidth—
Most similar
Yasu Falls
Japan
Height60 mWidth—
Also a cascade 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
60 m
60 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Nanataki FallsYasu FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 16× taller than Nanataki Falls. Victoria Falls is 1.8× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Nanataki 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
40.35611, 140.78361
Quick answers
Where is Nanataki Falls?
Nanataki Falls is in Japan (Akita Prefecture). The nearest base is Kosaka, Japan. Its coordinates are 40.3561, 140.7836.
How tall is Nanataki Falls?
Nanataki Falls drops 60 metres (197 feet). It is a cascade-type waterfall on the Yoneshiro River.
When is the best time to visit Nanataki 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 Nanataki 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 Nanataki Falls?
The usual base is Kosaka, Japan. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there.
Nearby
Closest to Nanataki Falls
Matsumi Falls
Japan · 20 km away
Matsumi Falls is a waterfall in the city of Towada, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, on a tributary of the Oirase…
Fudō Falls
Japan · 40 km away
Fudō Falls is a waterfall in the city of Hachimantai, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, on a branch of the Api River.…
Yasu Falls
Japan · 60 m · 50 km away
Yasu Falls is a waterfall in the Ani district of Kitaakika, Akita Prefecture, Japan, on the Yoneshiro River.…
Kurokuma Falls
Japan · 60 km away
Kurokuma Falls is a waterfall in the town of Ajigasawa, Higashitsugaru District Aomori Prefecture, Japan, on…