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 · Fukiai-chō
Nunobiki Falls
Nunobiki Falls is a set of waterfalls near downtown Kobe, Japan, with an important significance in Japanese literature and Japanese art. In Japan, Nunobiki is considered one of the greatest "divine falls" together with Kegon Falls and Nachi Falls.
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.
Nunobiki Falls drops over a series of steps on the Ikuta River. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Kobe, Japan. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Nunobiki Falls is number 7 on our list of waterfalls near big cities. 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 Nunobiki Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Kobe are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Getting there
- Base town Kobe, Japan
- Country Japan
- Region Fukiai-chō, East Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Nunobiki 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 Nunobiki 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
34.70972, 135.19389
Quick answers
Where is Nunobiki Falls?
Nunobiki Falls is in Japan (Fukiai-chō). The nearest base is Kobe, Japan. Its coordinates are 34.7097, 135.1939.
When is the best time to visit Nunobiki 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 Nunobiki 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 Nunobiki Falls?
The usual base is Kobe, Japan. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Nunobiki Falls
UNESCO Nachi Falls
Japan · 133 m · 130 km away
Japan's tallest single-drop waterfall, worshipped as a deity
Yōrō Falls
Japan · 140 km away
Yōrō Falls is a waterfall in Yōrō Park located in the town of Yōrō, Yōrō District, Gifu, Japan.
Hagi Falls
Japan · 170 km away
The Hagi Falls is a waterfall located in Mount Dodo's small valley in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture…
Ryūsō Falls
Japan · 170 km away
Ryūsō Falls is a waterfall in the town of Ikeda, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, on a branch of the Kuzuryū River.…