Douhara Taki, a Spring Water Waterfall of Mount Chokai in Yuza, Yamagata

In the hills of Yuza in Yamagata stands a rare waterfall called Douhara Taki. This is not a waterfall dropping from a river, but water from rain and melting snow that fell on Mount Chokai, which flowed underground over long years and now wells out in two streams, left and right, from a crack in the hillside rock. Because the water seems to come from the belly of the mountain, it was given this name. Known as a cold and clear famous water, it is also chosen among the selected famous waters of Yamagata villages. Between the two streams sits a small hall enshrining the deity Fudo, and moss covered cedars wrap this mysterious space.

Highlights

• A rare waterfall welling from the hillside in two streams, left and right. Some say the water tastes different on each side
• Cold, clear famous water averaging around 8.5 degrees that does not freeze even in winter, cool and pleasant when scooped in the hand
• The Fudo hall enshrined between the two streams and the quiet air carried by the moss covered stone images
• Grounds wrapped in cedar trees. A deep breath clears the heart as well

Practical Travel Notes

• Best season and time: The fresh green of May and June, and summer when the shade brings coolness, are the most pleasant seasons. Early morning, when fewer people come to draw water, allows a slower visit
• Avoiding crowds: A line can form as people seek the famous water, so avoiding midday on holidays and aiming for weekdays or early hours lets you draw water calmly
• Time needed: About a 3 to 5 minute walk along the cedar-forest path from the parking area to the basin. Including a visit and drawing water, it can be toured in about 30 minutes
• Nearby real spots: The clear blue spring pond Maruike sama, the water-plant lined Ushiwatari river, and the Dewa first shrine Chokaisan Omonoimi Jinja are among the famous water and faith spots of Yuza to tour together
• Budget sense: Visiting and drawing water are free. Bring your own containers or bottles to take water home

Access and Basic Information

• About 13 to 15 minutes by car from JR Uetsu Main Line Yuza Station
• By car, about 25 minutes from the Sakataminato interchange on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway. Parking available
• From the parking area, about a 3 to 5 minute walk along the cedar-forest path
• Free to visit. Bring a container if you wish to take water home

A Quick Tip

Many people fill containers to take the famous water home, so bringing an empty bottle is convenient. The cold spring water is said to be pure enough to drink as is, but if carrying it a long way, it is best to use it up soon. Since Yuza has other famous water spots scattered about, building a water-touring drive route around them makes for a full and satisfying day.

📚 Sources

This article draws on the guidance for Douhara Falls published by Yusa Town and the Shonai regional tourism associations, materials on the Sato no Meisui Yamagata Hyakusen selection, and the explanatory boards for the Fudoson enshrined at the center of the falls. Etiquette for drawing the spring water, surrounding access, and parking vary by season, so please confirm the latest details through Yusa Town before visiting. As the spring water is untreated, please also check how to handle it in advance.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: About 30 minutes to view the falls and spring and walk the surroundings
• What to bring: A container if taking the water home, and non-slip shoes for the mossy mountain path
• Timing tips: Quietly take in both the twin springs and the small Fudoson hall together
• Highlights: The famed water welling from the rock cleft in two streams, and the mystical space of mossy cedar groves
• Note: The mossy footing is slippery, and the spring water is untreated, so handle it with care

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Viewing: Free to visit. There is no admission or viewing fee
• Collecting water: Free of charge. Bring your own containers or plastic bottles to take the water home in
• Note on drinking the water: The spring water is raw water that has not been sterilised. Use up what you take home as soon as possible, and if you have any concerns about your health or how you plan to use it, boil it before use
• Goshuin seal stamps: There is no permanently staffed shrine office or amulet counter, and there is no official information about goshuin stamps being issued
• Blessings: According to the written history of the site, the Koyasu Daisho Fudo Myoo enshrined in the Dobarataki Fudo-do protects the body from the trunk to the belly, and it attracts faith for safe childbirth and child-rearing
• Photography: At the outdoor spring mouth and the hall there are no notices prohibiting photography. Please be considerate and avoid blocking the front of the hall or getting in the way of people collecting water
• Parking: 4 spaces for ordinary cars and 1 reserved for buses. As there are few spaces, when cars come one after another to collect water you may have to wait for a space to free up
• Toilets: There is 1 portable toilet at the car park. It is closed in winter
• Access (train plus car): About 15 minutes by car from Yuza Station on the JR Uetsu Main Line
• Access (by car): About 30 minutes from Sakata-Minato IC on the Nihonkai-Tohoku Expressway
• Footwear and clothing: From the car park to the falls you walk a short path through a stand of cedars. Mossy rocks and damp ground make it slippery, so trainers with firm soles are reassuring. Even in summer it is chilly around the spring mouth, so an extra layer makes it more comfortable
• Strollers and wheelchairs: The unpaved path through the woods has steps and damp earth, so it is not suited to visiting with a stroller or wheelchair
• Time required: About 15 minutes if you simply look at the falls and offer a prayer at the hall. If you collect water, around 30 minutes depending on how many containers you have
• To avoid the crowds: On weekend daytimes a queue can form for collecting water. Weekdays and early mornings let you take your time
• In rainy weather: There is no covered rest facility. Bring rain gear, and do not push on when the water is high or the footing is bad
• Best season: May and June with their fresh greenery, and summer when the shade of the trees is cool. The spring keeps flowing without freezing even in winter, but check the snow conditions on the roads and in the car park before you go
• Budget guide: 0 yen (there are no shops or vending machines on site)
• Location: Aza Futokoro-no-uchi, Yoshide, Yuza-machi, Akumi-gun, Yamagata Prefecture

The Waters of Yuza to Visit Together

Yuza-machi is a town of spring water, and besides Dobarataki there are other highlights close together. There is the clear blue spring-fed pond "Maruike-sama"; the Ushiwatari River, almost 100% of whose water is spring water, where the aquatic buttercup blooms in early summer and salmon run upstream from autumn into winter; and "Chokaisan Omonoimi Shrine", the first-ranked shrine of the old province of Dewa. Maruike-sama and the Ushiwatari River are next to each other, and there is parking for about 20 ordinary cars in front of the Minowa Salmon Hatchery. With half a day you can drive round this circuit of waters in full.

Information Sources

The location, the number of parking spaces (4), the water temperature of 9.7C and electrical conductivity of 57 microsiemens/cm measured on 25 August 2025, and the selection for the "Hundred Famous Waters of Yamagata's Countryside" are based on the Dobarataki page of the Yuza Town official website "Yuzamachi Yusui Navi". The origin of the spring emerging from the terminal cliff of a lava flow, the elevation of 230 metres, the average water temperature of around 8.5C, the hardness of 11 mg/L and the evaporation residue of 40-50 mg/L are as given on the spring-water tour explanation page of the Chokaisan-Tobishima Geopark. The access details of about 15 minutes by car from Yuza Station and about 30 minutes from Sakata-Minato IC, the parking (4 spaces for ordinary cars and 1 reserved for buses), the 1 portable toilet and its closure in winter, and the car parks for Maruike-sama and the Ushiwatari River were checked on the spring-water group page of the Yuza Chokai Tourism Association. The principal image of the Dobarataki Fudo-do and the wording of the written history come from a record of the written history displayed at the site. Car park conditions and winter road conditions change with the season, so please check the official Yuza Town information before you set out.