How much is the Kegon Falls elevator?

The elevator to the observation deck costs 600 yen round trip for adults and 400 yen for elementary school students. Preschool children ride free, and no reservation is needed.

How tall is Kegon Falls?

The main fall drops 97 meters in a single plunge and is about 7 meters wide.

How do I get to Kegon Falls from Nikko Station?

Take a Tobu bus for Chuzenji Onsen or Yumoto Onsen from JR Nikko or Tobu-Nikko Station to the Chuzenji Onsen stop, about 40 minutes. The falls are a 5-minute walk away.

When is the best time to see Kegon Falls?

The second half of October for fall color, and the coldest weeks of winter to see the cliffs frozen into blue ice. Summer brings the heaviest flow.

Where does the water in Kegon Falls come from?

Kegon Falls is the outflow of Lake Chuzenji. The lake's water drops over the cliff at its eastern end into the gorge below, and the amount released is regulated.

Does Kegon Falls freeze in winter?

The thin Twelve Falls around the main fall freeze in the coldest weeks, turning the cliff face into blue ice.

Nikko

Kegon Falls

4.7 (231)Natural FeatureEstablishment

Last updated Nov 8, 2026

Kegon Falls (Kegon no Taki) is a 97-meter waterfall in Okunikko, the mountain area of Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture, where Lake Chuzenji drains over a cliff into the gorge below. It is counted among Japan's three great waterfalls, with Nachi Falls in Wakayama and Fukuroda Falls in Ibaraki.

The main fall is about 7 meters wide and drops in a single plunge. Around it, a fringe of smaller cascades called the Twelve Falls (Juni-taki) seeps from the cliff face. The falls are a national Place of Scenic Beauty, designated in 1931, and were named one of Japan's top 100 geological sites in 2007.

Kegon Falls elevator and observation deck

The classic view of Kegon Falls is from the paid observation deck near the base. An elevator takes you about 100 meters down in one minute, and it has run since 1930.

Adults: 600 yen round trip
Elementary school students: 400 yen round trip
Preschool children: free
Groups of 30 or more: 550 yen for adults and 350 yen for children

No reservation is needed, and entry is first come, first served. The Kegon Falls elevator rates page lists the current fares and seasonal hours. Pets and food are not allowed in the elevator.

How to get to Kegon Falls

By bus: from JR Nikko Station or Tobu-Nikko Station, take a Tobu bus bound for Chuzenji Onsen or Yumoto Onsen and get off at Chuzenji Onsen, about 40 minutes. The falls are a 5-minute walk from the stop.
From Tokyo: take a limited express from Asakusa or JR Shinjuku to Tobu-Nikko, or the JR Nikko Line to Nikko Station, then the bus above.
By car: from Utsunomiya IC, take the Nikko-Utsunomiya Road to Kiyotaki IC and climb the Irohazaka road, about 50 minutes. The two Kegon parking lots charge 500 yen per car.

A Tokyo day tour to Kegon Falls from Tokyo handles the transport and adds Toshogu Shrine.

Best time to visit Kegon Falls

Each season changes the falls:

Spring: pink Yashio azaleas bloom on the gorge walls.
Summer: the volume of water is high, and house martins nest on the cliffs.
Fall: the trees around the falls usually peak in the second half of October.
Winter: the thin Twelve Falls freeze, and the cliff turns to blue ice around the main fall.

The amount of water released from Lake Chuzenji is regulated, so the volume varies through the year. On sunny days you can often see a rainbow in the spray.

History and name of Kegon Falls

Legend says the falls were discovered about 1,200 years ago by Shodo Shonin, the monk who opened Nikko as a sacred mountain. One theory holds that the name comes from the Kegon Sutra, a Buddhist scripture. Another says it comes from a temple called Kegon-ji that once stood nearby.

The falls are steps from Lake Chuzenji's eastern shore, so most visitors pair the two.

For other big falls around the country, see the best waterfalls in Japan.