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 · Tsuruoka
Nanatsu Falls
Nanatsu Falls is a waterfall located in the city of Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, on a branch of the Bonji 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.
Nanatsu Falls drops 100 metres (328 ft) on the Bonji River. It is a segmented-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Tsuruoka, Japan. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a segmented waterfall, the flow splits into separate strands as it falls.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Nanatsu Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Tsuruoka are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Getting there
- Base town Tsuruoka, Japan
- Country Japan
- Region Tsuruoka, East Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Nanatsu Falls
Japan
Height100 mWidth—
Most similar
Tad Fane Falls
Laos
Height120 mWidth—
Also a segmented waterfall, of similar height and in Laos
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
100 m
108 m
120 m
330 m
979 m
Nanatsu FallsVictoria FallsTad Fane FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 9.8× taller than Nanatsu Falls. It is about the same height as Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Nanatsu 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
38.5633, 139.929
Quick answers
Where is Nanatsu Falls?
Nanatsu Falls is in Japan (Tsuruoka). The nearest base is Tsuruoka, Japan. Its coordinates are 38.5633, 139.9290.
How tall is Nanatsu Falls?
Nanatsu Falls drops 100 metres (328 feet). It is a segmented-type waterfall on the Bonji River.
When is the best time to visit Nanatsu 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 Nanatsu 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 Nanatsu Falls?
The usual base is Tsuruoka, Japan. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Nanatsu Falls
Shiraito Falls (Tozawa)
Japan · 30 km away
Shiraito Falls is a waterfall in the Furukuchi district of Tozawa, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, on a branch of…
Hottai Falls
Japan · 60 km away
Hottai Falls is a waterfall in the city of Yurihonjō, Akita Prefecture, Japan, on the Akasawa River, a…
Swimming
Akiu Great Falls
Japan · 55 m · 70 km away
Akiu Great Falls is a waterfall located in Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It is a nationally…
Naso Falls
Japan · 70 km away
Naso no Shirataki is a waterfall located in Nikaho, Akita Prefecture, Japan. It became a nationally…