Nunobiki Falls

Nunobiki Waterfall stands as one of Japan's most celebrated natural attractions, located remarkably close to downtown Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture. The site is recognized as one of the Three Great Divine Falls of Japan alongside Kegon Falls in Tochigi Prefecture and Nachi Falls in Wakayama Prefecture, and has been selected as one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan. The waterfall system comprises four distinct falls: Ontaki, Mentaki, Tsutsumigadaki, and Meotodaki.

The main cascade, Ontaki, plunges 43 meters down a rock face, with its name derived from the Japanese words meaning "pulled cloth" due to its white ribbon-like appearance as water spreads across the rocks. The falls hold profound significance in Japanese literature, appearing prominently in the Tales of Ise (Ise monogatari), a tenth-century collection of poems and narratives. In Episode 87 of this classic work, travelers visit the falls and engage in a poetry-writing contest, contrasting the beauty and power of nature with human endeavors. Over the centuries, the falls have inspired numerous waka poems and been depicted in traditional Japanese art, with 31 poetry monuments lining the hiking paths commemorating these literary connections.

Visitors can experience the falls through a short 15-20 minute hike from Shin-Kobe Station, making this one of the most accessible wilderness experiences from a major urban center. The trail winds through lush forest and passes viewing platforms for each of the four waterfalls, with Ontaki providing the most dramatic spectacle. Hikers can extend their journey to reach the Nunobiki Gohonmatsu Dam, completed in 1900 as Japan's first concrete gravity dam, which holds 600,000 cubic meters of mountain water and was designated an Important Cultural Property in 2006.

The reservoir's mineral-rich water, filtered through granite, historically supplied foreign ships and continues serving Kobe's water needs. Beyond the dam, observation decks offer panoramic views of Kobe city and Osaka Bay. An alternative route takes visitors via the Kobe Nunobiki Ropeway, which ascends the Rokko mountain chain, passing over the waterfalls and connecting to the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens. Round-trip ropeway tickets with herb garden admission cost 2,000 yen, providing aerial perspectives of both the cascades and cityscape below.

Nunobiki Falls is accessible via Shin-Kobe Station, served by the Kobe Municipal Subway Hokushin Line, Seishin-Yamate Line, and Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen. From the station's ground floor, follow the underground passageway north to reach the trailhead. Admission to the waterfall area is free, though the ropeway and herb gardens require separate tickets. The hiking trail features stone steps and moderate elevation gain, requiring approximately 1.5 to 2 hours for the complete loop including the dam and observation points.