What other travelers are saying about Ryuzu Waterfall
Visited 23 October 2025: Stunning area! Worth hiking past the usual tourist crowd if you have the time, continuing up the river a bit is very peaceful and beautiful, it’s an easy hike. Autumn colours were at their peak according to the Tobu Information Centre.
Yes, there are several hiking trails near Ryuzu Waterfall. The most popular is the Ryuzu Falls Trail, which offers beautiful views of the falls and the surrounding nature. It’s a relatively easy hike suitable for most visitors.
Swimming is not permitted at Ryuzu Waterfall. The area is primarily for sightseeing and enjoying the natural beauty. There are no designated swimming areas, and the water can be cold and fast-moving.
Yes, there is a designated viewpoint from which you can get a great view of Ryuzu Waterfall. Follow the marked trails to reach this viewpoint for the most iconic perspective of the falls.
Yes, there are several nearby attractions, including the famous Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji, and the Toshogu Shrine. These sites are also located within the Nikko area and offer additional scenic and cultural experiences.
Very stunning falls it far from the bus stop. We walked over to the lake as well - stunning too! Thought about renting the touristy Swan shaped boats but didn’t. Were sad we didn’t go further to see a beautiful shrine in the forest. We saw it on the bus as we continued up the mountain. Busy even during the off season. Many food vendors and food gift shops here also. It’s not remote or requires any hiking. It’s 10 minute walk from the bus to the falls. You can take the elevator down (still have 4 flights of stairs to get there and a few more flights of SRL takes at the viewing platform) for a small fee, stunning and beautiful. Selfie shots abound but people move away quickly. Was beautiful but not very relaxing. The lines for the bus down form early. Don’t be in a rush here.
I don’t think I am exaggerating when I say visiting waterfalls is one of my favorite things to do when travelling, especially in Japan. There’s something magical and poetic about these cascading waters.
So, when I say this waterfall is one of the most rewarding gems of its kind, I really mean it. Getting off from the public bus at stop 37(竜頭淹), it is just 3 mins from the bottom of the waterfall with a magnificent view from the tea house. It’s so close you can smell the waterfall.
Then go uphill from the right side of the tea house and you will find a 20-min well-paved staircase that take you up to various viewpoints to continue your journey to connect with the falls, particularly pleasant when seeing the water running through fall foliage.
There are some crowds at times, as it is very accessible and some tour buses include this spot, nevertheless, it is not Tokyo type of busy and you will always be able to suimase your way to the railing for an epic photo. I felt like every turn was a scene worthy of National Geographic feature.
Very beautiful. Highly recommended on a clear day in fall.
I took the bus here from Nikko and sure glad I did! After walking around the lake for a bit, I started up the trail towards Mt. Nukazuka and if you have the time, I highly recommend staying on the trail. The forests had monkeys and the trail was fairly easy with plenty of scenic views along the way. It was a memorable day and a prefect day trip from Nikko!
It's 23 Oct 2025, the leaves are starting to change colour making the cascades more beautiful. If only we were here one or two weeks later, we could see more red leaves.
The basin of the Ryuzu Falls is a popular scenic spot, but don't miss the top part of the Ryuzu Falls near the Upside Parking (竜頭滝上駐車場) with awesome views of the falls. It's quite a number of steps upwards along the footpath beside the Ryuzu Cascades and we nearly gave up thinking there was nothing much to see. The top part view was marvelous!
