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 · Ashikuraji
Shōmyō Falls
Shōmyō Falls are located in the town of Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. It is the highest waterfall in Japan at 350 m .
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.
Shōmyō Falls drops 350 metres (1,148 ft) on the Shōmyō River, inside Chūbu-Sangaku National Park. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Tateyama, Japan. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Shōmyō Falls is the second-tallest of the 44 we cover in Japan. As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Shōmyō Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Tateyama are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Getting there
- Base town Tateyama, Japan
- Country Japan
- Region Ashikuraji, East Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Shōmyō Falls
Japan
Height350 mWidth—
Most similar
Pachal waterfall
Nepal
Height356 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in Nepal
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
350 m
356 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerShōmyō FallsPachal waterfallAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 2.8× taller than Shōmyō Falls. It drops 3.2× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Shōmyō 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
36.57528, 137.52333
Quick answers
Where is Shōmyō Falls?
Shōmyō Falls is in Japan (Ashikuraji), inside Chūbu-Sangaku National Park. The nearest base is Tateyama, Japan. Its coordinates are 36.5753, 137.5233.
How tall is Shōmyō Falls?
Shōmyō Falls drops 350 metres (1,148 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall on the Shōmyō River.
When is the best time to visit Shōmyō 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 Shōmyō 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 Shōmyō Falls?
The usual base is Tateyama, Japan. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Shōmyō Falls
Hannoki Falls
Japan · 497 m · 0 km away
Hannoki Falls, in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, is the tallest waterfall in Japan at a height of 497 m . However…
Yonako Falls
Japan · 80 km away
Yonako Falls , literally "Yonako Large Waterfalls" ) is a waterfall located in Yonako, Suzaka City, Nagano…
Kitashōji Falls
Japan · 35 m · 120 km away
Kitashōji Falls is a waterfall in northern Yamanashi Prefecture Japan, on the Ishiutoro River, an upper…
Ryūsō Falls
Japan · 120 km away
Ryūsō Falls is a waterfall in the town of Ikeda, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, on a branch of the Kuzuryū River.…