Bungo-Ono Waterfall Tour — A Geopark of Waterfalls and Gorges Born of a Lava Plateau

White spray cascading down a cliff in many streams, the rough rock surface created by an ancient volcano—Bungo-Ono City in Oita Prefecture is a treasury of waterfalls and gorges carved by rivers from the lava plateau created by the eruption of the Aso volcano. The entire city is certified as a Japanese Geopark, and it even has a famous cascade selected as one of Japan's 100 Best Waterfalls. Let us set out on a dynamic waterfall-touring journey where you can experience the magnificent scale of nature.

The Land of a Geopark

Bungo-Ono City is located in the southwest of Oita Prefecture. The plateau of welded tuff, formed when pyroclastic flows from a huge eruption of the Aso volcano about 90,000 years ago cooled and solidified, was eroded by rivers over long years, giving rise to a distinctive gorge topography. The landscape, where cliffs of columnar joints and oddly shaped rocks stand in a row, is a precious record that tells the history of the Earth. The entire city is certified as the Oita Bungo-Ono Geopark, a member of the Japanese Geoparks Network, where you can enjoy the formative beauty of nature.

The Oriental Niagara, Harajiri Falls

The waterfall representing Bungo-Ono is Harajiri Falls. The sight of a waterfall about 120 meters wide and about 20 meters high appearing suddenly in the middle of the farmland of the Ogata plain is overwhelming, and it is also called the Oriental Niagara. From the suspension bridge spanning the front of the falls, you can view the curtain of falling water head-on, and its power is exceptional. It is one of Bungo-Ono's foremost cascades, also selected as one of Japan's 100 Best Waterfalls. The roadside station Michi-no-Eki Harajiri no Taki sits right beside the falls, with a parking lot and shops.

A Variety of Distinctive Waterfalls

Besides Harajiri Falls, distinctive waterfalls are dotted around Bungo-Ono. Chinda Falls, flowing down a gorge wrapped in deep greenery, is a famous cascade said to have been depicted by the Muromachi-period painter-monk Sesshu in his work Chindabaku-zu; its main fall has a dignified form about 20 meters high and about 100 meters wide. There are also waterfalls flowing down surfaces of columnar joints, each showing a different expression. A drive touring from waterfall to waterfall is a real pleasure where you can fully enjoy the nature unique to Bungo-Ono.

Access & Basic Information

Traveling by car is convenient for touring the waterfalls. For Harajiri Falls, one option is a route bus from Ogata Station on the JR Hohi Main Line to the Harajiri no Taki Iriguchi stop, but a rental car is recommended for efficiently touring several falls. The roadside station Michi-no-Eki Harajiri no Taki, just downstream of the falls, serves as a base for parking and rest. The falls lie in natural settings where footing can be slippery, so visit in shoes that are easy to walk in.

Practical Travel Notes

• Best season and time: The fresh greenery of spring and the foliage of autumn are especially beautiful, and just after the rainy season, when the water volume rises, is full of power. Tulips bloom near Harajiri Falls in spring, and Ogata is also known as a tulip spot.
• Time needed: About 30 minutes to an hour just to see Harajiri Falls. Touring several, including Chinda Falls, calls for about half a day for comfort.
• Avoiding crowds: The roadside-station area gets busy on weekends during the tulip and foliage seasons. Weekdays and mornings are recommended.
• Nearby real spots: Well placed to combine with the Oka Castle Ruins in Taketa and the hot springs of Beppu and Yufuin, making it easy to plan a soak after touring the falls.
• What to bring: You may get wet from spray near the falls and footing can be slippery, so wear shoes that are easy to walk in.

A Word of Advice

Because Bungo-Ono's waterfalls are scattered around the city, traveling by car is the most efficient way. The view from Harajiri Falls' suspension bridge is a must-see, and buying local products at the roadside station is one of the pleasures. Together with the Oka Castle Ruins in Taketa and the hot springs of Beppu and Yufuin, tour the superb waterfall scenery nurtured by the land of a Geopark.

📚 Sources

For information on the waterfalls of Bungo-Ono, the main references are the tourism guidance published by Bungo-Ono City and the Bungo-Ono City Tourism Association, and the guidance of the Oita Bungo-Ono Geopark. Details of Harajiri Falls (one of Japan's 100 best waterfalls), Chinda Falls, and Michi-no-Eki Harajiri no Taki can be traced through such public guidance. The hours of the roadside station and nearby facilities may change, so please confirm the latest details through official sources before you visit. The entire city is certified as a Japanese Geopark.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: Viewing Harajiri Falls alone takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour; touring several such as Chinda Falls allows about half a day.
• What to bring: The area around the falls can get wet with spray and footing can be slippery, so wear comfortable shoes; the roadside station offers a rest and shopping.
• Suggested route: View Harajiri Falls head-on from its suspension bridge and rest at the adjacent Michi-no-Eki Harajiri no Taki, then drive on to distinctive falls such as Chinda Falls noted in the article, combining with the Oka Castle ruins in Taketa or the hot springs of Beppu and Yufuin.
• Crowd tips: Weekends in the tulip season or autumn foliage draw crowds around the roadside station, so weekdays or mornings are recommended.