Taki no Kannon: A Hidden Power Spot in Nagasaki With a Waterfall and Exotic Stone Buddhas

Hidden in the hills of Nagasaki City, Taki no Kannon is a scenic site designated by Nagasaki Prefecture, ringed by forest with a waterfall of about thirty meters and clear waterside. It began in 1660, when an Obaku monk built a meditation hall, and it is told that in 1667 a wealthy Chinese merchant donated the main hall. The principal image is a statue of the fish basket Kannon.

A single waterfall pours down behind the priests quarters, and exotic stone Buddhas and statues are placed throughout. The Chinese flavor that arrived when Nagasaki was Japan window on the wider world lingers here, and the place has long been known as a spot of deep, quiet beauty visited by poets and scholars.

Highlights

• A single waterfall of about thirty meters and a waterside full of greenery
• Exotic stone Buddhas and statues with a Chinese flavor
• A main hall enshrining the fish basket Kannon as its principal image
• A precinct embraced by forest, full of stillness and quiet depth

Enjoying the Seasons

In the fresh green season young leaves and waterfall spray bring coolness, and in summer the forest shade keeps the air crisp. Autumn colors the waterfall and stone Buddhas, and winter clarity deepens the quiet beauty. Each season reveals a calm loveliness of its own.

Access and Basic Information

• Location: Hirama, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
• Access: About thirty minutes by car from central Nagasaki City
• Public transport access is somewhat inconvenient, so visiting by car is recommended
• Parking: Available
• As a temple in the hills, visit during the bright daytime hours

Practical Travel Notes

• Best season and time: The fresh green of late spring and early summer, when the waterfall spray is refreshing, and autumn, when colored leaves frame the stone Buddhas, are the loveliest seasons. Late morning to early afternoon, when dappled light filters through, is best for photos and for seeing your footing.
• Avoiding crowds: This is a quiet scenic site with few visitors, though the parking area can fill on autumn weekends, so a morning visit is safest.
• Time needed: About thirty minutes to an hour to walk the falls and the stone Buddhas. The pleasure here is walking slowly and soaking in the quiet.
• Nearby real spots: Back in central Nagasaki wait sights unique to the city, such as Suwa Shrine, Meganebashi Spectacles Bridge, and the Chinese temples of Kofukuji and Sofukuji. Carrying the impression of the Chinese stone Buddhas on to the city Chinese temples is a fine idea.
• Budget feel: Worship itself costs little. Since most visitors come by car, allow for a rental car and fuel.

A Quick Tip

The grounds lie in the hills and some footing is slippery, so wear shoes you can walk in easily. It is especially slippery after rain, so take care. Stroll among the stone Buddhas one by one and listen to the quiet sound of the water.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: Allow about 30 minutes to an hour to view the waterfall and grounds.
• What to prepare: You walk by water and through forest, so non-slip shoes are reassuring.
• Getting around: It sits in the hills, so you generally go by car and walk from the parking lot.
• Viewing manners: As a quiet scenic site, do not disturb the natural environment and view quietly.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Address: Within the precincts of Reigen-in, 1646 Hirama-machi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture 851-0136
• Visiting hours: Summer (around March to September) from about 8:00 to 17:30; winter (around September to March) from about 8:00 to 17:00
• Admission: 200 yen for adults, 100 yen for children
• Closing days: Open all year round
• Parking: Available. Space for about 20 cars, free of charge
• Access (by bus): About 40 minutes from the south exit in front of JR Nagasaki Station on the Nagasaki Bus bound for "Higashi-Koseimachi," get off at "Kannon Iriguchi," then about a 15-minute walk
• Access (by car): About 5 minutes from the Ainose IC on the Nagasaki Bypass. Parts of the road leading to the temple grounds are narrow
• Access (by rail): About 2 km from JR Hizen-Koga Station, roughly a 25-minute walk
• Time needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour to see the waterfall and the stone statues at a normal pace
• Goshuin (temple seal): Please check in advance with Reigen-in (095-838-3701) as to whether they are issued and at what times
• In rainy weather: There are few covered rest areas. Because the site lies in a valley, please avoid visiting during or immediately after heavy rain
• Footwear and clothing: Spray from the waterfall and the damp air make parts of the approach and the stone steps slippery. Wear non-slip shoes, and take particular care after rain
• Strollers and wheelchairs: Stone steps and slopes continue along the mountainside, so visiting with a stroller or wheelchair is difficult
• Best season and time of day: The fresh greenery of late spring to early summer, when the spray from the waterfall feels refreshing, and autumn, when the site is also introduced as a place for autumn leaves. From morning to early afternoon, when sunlight filters through the trees, is a good time both for photographs and for seeing where you are stepping
• Crowds: This is normally a quiet temple with few visitors, but the car park can fill up on weekends during the autumn leaf season. A morning visit is the safer choice
• Inquiries: Nagataki-san Reigen-in, 095-838-3701
• Combine it with: Back in central Nagasaki you will find Suwa Shrine, Meganebashi Bridge, and the Chinese temples Kofuku-ji and Sofuku-ji. After seeing stone Buddhist statues of Chinese origin, it is a nice idea to carry that feeling over into a tour of the city's Chinese temples

📚 Sources

The information about Taki-no-Kannon was compiled by our editorial team from Nagasaki City tourism information, local guidance, and interpretive signs on the grounds. The account of a Nagasaki Prefecture Scenic Beauty site surrounded by a roughly 30-meter waterfall, clear waterside and forest follows these public references. Because approach conditions and whether viewing is possible change with the season and weather, please confirm the latest information from Nagasaki City or local sources before your visit.

The date of designation as a Nagasaki Prefecture Place of Scenic Beauty (October 16, 1964), the fact that the site is within the precincts of Reigen-in at 1646 Hirama-machi, Nagasaki City, the construction of the meditation hall by Tetsugan in 1660 (Manji 3), the donation of the main hall and the Gyoran Kannon statue by Kyotoju in 1667 (Kanbun 7), the donation of forest land by Isahaya Shigeteru in 1691 (Genroku 4), the single 30-meter-high waterfall that falls behind the priests' quarters, and the exotic stone statues were confirmed in the Nagasaki Prefecture cultural property database and on the explanatory pages of the Nagasaki City Cultural Properties Division. The visiting hours, admission fees, closing days, number of parking spaces, bus route from in front of Nagasaki Station and telephone number come from the facility information on "Nagasaki Tabinet," the official tourism website of Nagasaki Prefecture. The damage caused by the Nagasaki flood disaster of 1982 and the restoration five years later are also described on that site. Visiting hours, fees and the condition of the mountain roads are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.