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Akiu Otaki Falls

[Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture] I walked to the basin of Akiu Falls, one of Japan's three most famous waterfalls!

  • Chimon
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Did you know that you can see a massive waterfall, 6 meters wide and with a total drop of 55 meters, in Sendai? This scenic spot, one of Japan's three most famous waterfalls, one of Japan's 100 most beautiful waterfalls, and designated as a national scenic spot, is located in Sendai
. If such a place exists, it's a place you'll want to visit as a summer retreat, for viewing autumn foliage, or to enjoy the healing effects of negative ions. This is the Akiu Great Waterfall that we're introducing today.

Akiu-machi, Taihaku-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, in the upper reaches of the Natori River which flows through Zao Quasi-National Park and Futakuchi Gorge
, the Akiu Great Falls cascade down from there is truly magnificent, and it's no wonder it's been selected as one of the most scenic spots in Japan.
This time, we'll give you a full introduction to the spectacular Akiu Great Falls, a breathtaking sight you can see in Sendai.

What is Akiu Otaki?

The Natori River originates from Mount Kamuro in the western part of Taihaku Ward, passes through the border between Sendai City and Natori City, and flows into Sendai Bay. Akiu Otaki Falls is located upstream of the river

The nearby Saikoji Temple has its origins in a Fudō Myōō statue enshrined by Jikaku Daishi in the early Heian period.
In 1825, Chishoku Shōnin built a Fudō Hall and rebuilt the main hall, and it can still be seen today as a Shingon sect Chizan school temple that combines Shinto and Buddhism.

From the observation deck located as you approach the waterfall from Saikoji Temple, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the falls, but the best view is undoubtedly from the base of the falls.
Amazingly, it's possible to get right up to the edge of the Akiu Great Falls basin.
The path from the observation deck to the basin is maintained as the "New Oku no Hosomichi 'Akiu Great Falls Panorama Path'" (Akiu Great Falls Walking Trail).
You simply have to go and see for yourself!

With that in mind, I immediately headed towards the waterfall basin from Saikoji Temple

Head to the basin of Akiu Otaki Falls!

The image at the beginning shows the view from the base of the waterfall. It's quite beautiful, isn't it!
Near the viewing platform, there is a sign directing you to the base of the waterfall. If you want to go to the base of the waterfall, just follow this sign.

So, let's head to the basin! It's well maintained, so it should be easy!

My thinking was completely naive

The road to the basin of Akiu Otaki Falls
The road to the basin of Akiu Otaki Falls

This is the "New Oku no Hosomichi: Akiu Great Waterfall Panorama Path." It's
completely an animal trail.
The only things that could be considered maintained are the faint red markings on the ground and the extremely steep stairs.
If you follow these, you should be able to reach the base of the waterfall.

Along the way, we climbed and descended steep stairs, and the mountain path abruptly ended, leaving us on a regular road (we could have just driven to the waterfall instead of walking along the trail!), but we finally arrived at the waterfall basin.
Here are the photos.

The basin of Akiu Otaki Falls
The basin of Akiu Otaki Falls

It was so powerful that this was the closest I could get.
The waterfall was so strong that spray was flying at me even from this position.
My camera lens was quickly soaked.
If I were to stand under the waterfall as a form of "training," I'd be flattened in two seconds.
I couldn't find the words to describe it right away, so I just kept repeating "amazing," "amazing."

Enjoy the shop on the way home

Once you finally make it back to Saikoji Temple, enjoy the shops around Akiu Otaki Falls!

Near Saikoji Temple, you can purchase local products. They
even offer samples of things you rarely get to drink, such as bracket fungus and silver vine tea (?), so if you buy some while you're there, you'll gain both memories and good health!

Additionally, the cafe in the rest house in the parking lot offers coffee, tea, and light meals such as pasta and pizza.
Their soft-serve ice cream is absolutely delicious, so be sure to try it to refresh yourself after a tiring walk along the promenade!

Further along the parking lot, you'll find the Akiu Great Falls Botanical Garden.
It's about 800 meters long to walk around.
Unlike the mountain trails, this is a fully maintained botanical garden, so you can enjoy a leisurely stroll while admiring the flowers of each season.

After seeing the impressive waterfall, it might be a good idea to relax your body and mind by taking a walk around the surrounding area!

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