Tsukimachi no Taki Waterfall

Located in Kawayama, Daigo, Kuji District, Ibaraki, Tsukimachi no Taki is a beautiful waterfall about 17 meters high and 12 meters wide. Because the water falls from an overhanging rock face, you can step behind it without getting wet, so it is a rare cascade also called the back-view waterfall or the pass-through waterfall.

Usually it flows in two streams as a husband-and-wife fall, but when the water rises a small stream appears and it becomes a parent-and-child fall. It has long been a site of the twenty-third-night moon-waiting gatherings to pray for safe birth, child-rearing, and good fortune, and a Kannon of the womb is enshrined here, making it a power spot.

Highlights

• The behind-the-fall experience, with the striking sight of looking up at the curtain of falling water from the inside
• The Kannon of the womb and the dream Jizo behind the fall, said to hold the power of good fortune, safe birth, and granting dreams
• A halo of light that appears when conditions align, a mysterious ring like a round rainbow encircling your own shadow

Enjoying the Seasons

The roadside leading to the fall is dressed in many maples, and the autumn color season offers superb scenery. In the fresh green of spring the spray feels lush, and summer bustles with people seeking cool relief. In winter, the frozen cascade is a breathtaking sight.

Access and Basic Information

• Location: Kawayama, Daigo, Kuji District, Ibaraki
• Public transport: about 11 minutes by taxi (about 6 km) from Hitachi-Daigo Station on the JR Suigun Line
• By car: from the Naka IC on the Joban Expressway via Route 118 and Prefectural Route 33, then about 3 minutes on foot from the parking
• Parking available, free, about 30 spaces
• A dining spot named Momijien, overlooking the fall, is attached to the site

Practical Travel Notes

• Best season and time: the maples of the foliage season are exceptional. To enjoy the power of the back view, the bright daytime hours are best
• Avoiding crowds: the parking fills easily during the foliage season and holidays, so arriving early is reassuring
• Time needed: about 30 minutes to view the fall and try the back view. Allow a little more to enjoy soba at Momijien
• Nearby real spots: Fukuroda Falls, one of Japan's three great waterfalls, is close by, making a standard Daigo waterfall tour when combined
• Budget: viewing the fall is free. Even with a meal at Momijien, a few hundred to about a thousand yen covers it

A Quick Tip

Behind the fall the ground is wet and slippery, so comfortable shoes are recommended. Fukuroda Falls is also nearby, so combining them as a Daigo waterfall tour makes for a full day.

📚 Sources

This article is based on information published by Daigo Town and local tourism organizations that manage Tsukimachi Falls, on-site signs, a riverside eatery overlooking the falls, and general legends tied to the twenty third night gatherings. Parking use, the adjoining eatery's hours, and the state of nearby falls may change. Before your visit, please confirm the latest details through Daigo Town tourism information or on-site notices.

Visitor Checklist

• Approximate time: About 30 minutes to see the falls and walk behind them; a little longer to enjoy soba at Momijien
• What to bring: Behind the falls the ground is wet and slippery, so easy walking shoes are best; visit during daylight to enjoy the power of the view from behind
• Suggested route: The falls are about a three minute walk from the parking; step behind the curtain of water for the rare behind view, then worship at the Tainai Kannon and Yume Jizo behind the falls
• Seasonal tip: The foliage season, when the roadside is lined with maples, is exceptional; parking fills easily in foliage season and holidays, so arrive early
• Nearby spots: Fukuroda Falls, one of Japan's three most famous waterfalls, is close for a Daigo Town waterfall tour