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
Naso Falls
Naso no Shirataki is a waterfall located in Nikaho, Akita Prefecture, Japan. It became a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty in 1932.
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.
Naso Falls drops over a series of steps. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Nikaho, 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 Naso Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Nikaho are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Getting there
- Base town Nikaho, Japan
- Country Japan
- Region Akita Prefecture, East Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Naso Falls
Japan
Height—Width—
Most similar
Hogenakkal Falls
India
Height20 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall and in India
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
20 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Hogenakkal FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Naso 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
39.18144, 139.94325
Quick answers
Where is Naso Falls?
Naso Falls is in Japan (Akita Prefecture). The nearest base is Nikaho, Japan. Its coordinates are 39.1814, 139.9433.
When is the best time to visit Naso 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 Naso 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 Naso Falls?
The usual base is Nikaho, Japan. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Naso Falls
Hottai Falls
Japan · 20 km away
Hottai Falls is a waterfall in the city of Yurihonjō, Akita Prefecture, Japan, on the Akasawa River, a…
Swimming
Shiraito Falls (Tozawa)
Japan · 50 km away
Shiraito Falls is a waterfall in the Furukuchi district of Tozawa, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, on a branch of…
Nanatsu Falls
Japan · 100 m · 70 km away
Nanatsu Falls is a waterfall located in the city of Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, on a branch of the…
Yasu Falls
Japan · 60 m · 100 km away
Yasu Falls is a waterfall in the Ani district of Kitaakika, Akita Prefecture, Japan, on the Yoneshiro River.…