Nabegataki Falls and Laputa Road

Fantasy landscapes in Northwest Aso Mountain Range

Takako Sakamoto Apr 15, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>What a silky flow of water! The two people behind the waterfall asked me to take pictures of them from here.</p>

<p>The unfortunate cloudy weather gave me just the right amount of lights to take photos of the waterfall!</p>

<p>I could see a child taking a photo behind the waterfall. He looked very happy!</p>

<p>I didn't need a dark filter, clouds played the role of light diffuser!</p>

<p>When I got closer, the water splashed on my lens! It was difficult to take photos while wiping lens constantly.</p>

<p>The view from behind the waterfall. It was more spacious than I had expected it to be.</p>

<p>Layers of water looked like silk threads. They were beautiful and refreshing!</p>

<p>The view of the rising sun seen from Route 339, commonly known as Milk Road.</p>

<p>Although I couldn't see the sea of clouds on this day, it surely looked like 'Laputa Road', which continues to heaven.</p>

<p>Though a little bit misty and blurry, the rising sun viewed from outer craters of Mt. Aso was mysterious and beautiful.</p>

On January 2nd of 2013, I slept in my car on Route 339, commonly known as 'Milk Road', and located in the outer craters of Mt. Aso in Kumamoto prefecture.

The purpose of my visit was to appreciate the beautiful silky curtain-like water of Nabegataki Falls, which is on the north side of Mt. Aso, then move on next day to 'Laputa Road' to take photos. People say this road looks like a road to heaven, and seems to continue to the sky, but it is not widely known in Japan. Both places were gorgeous and lived up to their reputations. The Laputa Road reminded me of a sacred dragon tearing the freezing air and soaring high into the sky. The Aso Mountain Range was wrapped around by such a mysterious, holy air.

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...