Hossawa Falls

photo by RESPITE · dominio pubblico (PD-self)

Tokyo's only waterfall among Japan's 100: 60 m in 4 tiers, only the last one visible

The waterfall drops 60 metres in four tiers on a tributary of the Aki River, but from the path you can see only the last, the lowest: anyone expecting to see the whole waterfall is disappointed, says one review. In winter it can freeze completely, a rare event (the last confirmed one was on 8 January 2006), unusual enough to have its own ‘freeze day quiz’ organised by the village.

The waterfall is Tokyo's only entry among the ‘100 waterfalls of Japan’ (日本の滝百選), the list selected in 1990 by three environmental associations under the patronage of the then Environment Agency and the Forestry Agency. It lies in the forest of Hinohara-mura, the only municipality in Tokyo classed as a village (村) rather than a city or town.

ℹ️ Path always open and free, 15–20 minutes from the car park or from the bus stop along the stream; no railings near the drop, not accessible by wheelchair. You get there from Ōme or from Tokyo to JR Musashi-Itsukaichi Station (Itsukaichi Line), then take the Nishi-Tokyo bus to the ‘Hossawa-no-taki iriguchi’ bus stop (several lines converge here: 五滝10, 五里10, 五12, 五14, 五18 and others, all heading to Musashi-Itsukaichi); the stop records 26 services a day towards the station, so the service is more frequent than a single line number suggests. Car park with 28 spaces, often congested in high season (foliage or freeze weekends); tourist office reachable by phone 9:00–16:30.

🚉 払沢の滝入り口 · 9 min walk

Sources: hinohara-kankou.jp · ja.wikipedia.org

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