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 · Hinoemata
Sanjō Falls
Sanjō Falls is a waterfall in Hinoemata, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, on the Tadami River in Oze National Park. 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.
Sanjō Falls drops over a series of steps on the Tadami River. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Hinoemata, 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 Sanjō Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Hinoemata are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotographyWildlife & safari
When to go
Getting there
- Base town Hinoemata, Japan
- Country Japan
- Region Hinoemata, East Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Sanjō Falls
Japan
Height—Width—
Most similar
Vattaparai Falls
India
Height—Width—
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
Most similar
Vattaparai Falls
India
Height—Width—
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
108 m
330 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Sanjō 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
36.96556, 139.25028
Quick answers
Where is Sanjō Falls?
Sanjō Falls is in Japan (Hinoemata). The nearest base is Hinoemata, Japan. Its coordinates are 36.9656, 139.2503.
When is the best time to visit Sanjō 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 Sanjō Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking, photography and wildlife & safari. 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 Sanjō Falls?
The usual base is Hinoemata, Japan. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
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Kegon Falls
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One of Japan's three greatest waterfalls
Yonako Falls
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Yonako Falls , literally "Yonako Large Waterfalls" ) is a waterfall located in Yonako, Suzaka City, Nagano…