Winter at Fukuroda Falls (Photo: Sleiman Azizi)

A Visit to Fukuroda Falls in Ibaraki

One of Japan's top waterfalls

Winter at Fukuroda Falls (Photo: Sleiman Azizi)
Sleiman Azizi   - 3 min read

Holidaying in Ibaraki, it was hard not to know about Fukuroda Falls. You'd come across signs pointing the way, travel brochures would feature little blurbs and, of course, you'd overhear snippets of conversations from people walking past talking about it. Well, with the heavens aligning, there really was nothing left but to go and visit.

A short fifteen-minute drive from Greenvila Auto Campground, a great camping park with excellent children's play facilities, Fukuroda Falls turned out to be just brilliant. At 120m in height, this magnificent waterfall turned out to be one of Japan's top three waterfalls and it shows. A massive cascade of winter water spraying out over four unique layers of rock was a sight to behold.

A view of the suspension bridge
A view of the suspension bridge

The falls are famous for their seasonal changes and the general consensus is that unless you have seen the falls in each season, then you haven't really seen the falls. Visiting in winter, the water flow was a bit sparse compared to some of the images we had seen from the other seasons but that didn't lessen just how impressive Fukuroda Falls are.

The suspension bridge
The suspension bridge

Entrance is through a 276m-long entrance tunnel in which lies an observation deck halfway through with a sculpture affectionately known as the Lover's Sanctuary Monument. Past this is the suspension bridge that crosses the Taki River into which the falls pour into while another deck just further on sits at the falls' base. At the end of the tunnel lies a shrine as well as an elevator taking you to a 3-storey observation deck. Needless to say, the views here are spectacular.

Look closely on the left
Look closely on the left

It would be an understatement to say that Fukuroda Falls was well worth the visit. Stunning in its natural majesty, the only down side is that you can only ever see the falls one season at a time.

Getting there

A 3-hour drive from Narita Airport, a 90-minute drive from Ibaraki Airport, 75 minutes from Mito Station or a 10-minute drive from Fukuroda Station on the JR Suigun Line

More info

Find out more about Fukuroda Falls.

Sleiman Azizi

Sleiman Azizi @sleiman.azizi

I'm a Japanese Permanent Resident with over 650 published articles on Japan as well as 5 English language books inspired by traditional Japanese literature.I'm also a Japan Travel expert for Tokyo, so if you've anything to say about Japan's never ending capital - or just Japan in general - don't ...