[Nishimeya Village, Aomori Prefecture] What is Chihogataki? In winter, the icefall is lit up and becomes an Instagrammable spot!

Aomori Prefecture is a place where you can enjoy the scenery of each season.

Among them, Nishimeya Village's Nyuhogataki Falls is a relaxing spot where you can feel the fresh greenery and negative ions in the summer, and in the winter, when the waterfall freezes, it transforms into a magical space with festivals and illuminations.

This time, we will introduce how to read ``Nihogataki'', its origin, the ice waterfall that is displayed in winter, and the ``Nikuhogataki Ice Festival''

What is Chihogataki?

Nyuhogataki Falls is a small, narrow waterfall located on the way from Hirosaki City to Nishimeya Village.

The amount of water is small, and the way it falls from a height of about 33 meters looks like white thread.

In the middle of winter, the waterfall freezes over, creating an ``icefall'' that looks like a pillar .

How to pronounce and origin of the name Nyuhogataki?

The pronunciation of Nyuhogataki is "Niogataki" .

There are various theories about the origin of the name, but the name comes from the fact that it freezes to a milky white color during the bitterly cold season .

As you can see from the photo, the waterfall surface of Nyuhogataki is long and beautiful, like white silk. Due to Aomori's severe cold, the surface of this waterfall freezes over, resembling an ear of harvested rice.

Because of this, it came to be called ``Nyuhogataki'', and the ``Nyuhogataki Ice Festival'' is held on the third Sunday of February every year, where the fortune of that year's crops is predicted based on the degree of freezing of the waterfall . .

Behind the waterfall is the statue of Nyuhogataki Fudoson.

The height of Nyuhogataki Falls is approximately 33 meters, but you can actually walk up to the top of the waterfall .

It's a strange feeling as you're climbing up the back side of the waterfall, but it's also full of negative ions, making it even more mysterious. When you arrive at the top, there is a small shrine where Fudoson is enshrined in the center, Inari and Yakushi on the left, Ryujin and Yamanokami on the right, and Nyuhogataki Fudoson.

The year it was built is unknown, but it is a rare structure even in Japan, where you can see the back side of the waterfall from the temple.

The path to the top is winding and can be slippery even when there is no snow, so we recommend wearing comfortable shoes. In addition, the road surface is frozen in winter, making it quite slippery. Even Aomori residents who are confident on snowy roads can fall down, so be sure to prepare your gear and be careful when climbing.

Not just for summer! Chihogataki Falls in winter is an Instagrammable spot!

When we think of waterfalls, we associate them with refreshing summer images, but is also a waterfall that completely changes its image in winter

From here, we will introduce how to enjoy Nyuhogataki Falls in winter.

"Icefall" where the waterfall freezes like a pillar

As you can see in the photo above, this is an icefall where the waterfall freezes like a pillar due to the severe cold.

As the waterfall falls from above freezes, and the water dripping from the frozen waterfall freezes, ice pillars grow from both the top and the bottom, gradually becoming larger ice pillars.

The 33-meter-high icefall of Nyuhogataki Waterfall is impressive, and the ice is so transparent that you get the illusion that time has stopped.

Nyuhogataki Ice Festival

is held on the third Sunday of February every year

In 2022, the area will completely freeze for the first time in four years and a spectacular icefall will appear, but due to the new coronavirus, the ``Nyuhogataki Ice Festival'' has been canceled.

In 2023, due to the warm winter, it did not completely freeze , resulting in an incomplete icefall, but many tourists visited from inside and outside the prefecture.

``Nihogataki Ice Festival'' Goma prayers such as fortune-telling of fortunes and fortunes by looking at the smoke of stacked cedar leaves and how well the rice bundles are burning, and Hiwato Aragyou.The Masu.

• fortune-telling
  • The shape and thickness of the frozen waterfall predicts the year's crop. The last time it completely froze was in 2022.
• Saibato Goma
  • The movement and size of the smoke from burning rice straw is used to pray for good fortune in the Tsugaru region.
• Arayuki Hiwatari
  • Walking on lit rice straw and praying for good health in the Tsugaru region. The general public can also participate.

Illumination of the icefall

At night, at the same time as the ``Nyuhogataki Ice Festival'', the ice falls of Nyuhogataki are lit up, transforming the falls into a fantastical space. Young people are also visiting one after another, an Instagrammable spot .

The icefall illuminated by colorful lights is an overwhelming beauty. Perhaps because of the lights, the icefall looks more three-dimensional than during the day, making it seem even more impressive.

The nearby torii gate was also lit up in bright red, giving it a completely different look than during the day.

When will the 2024 Nyuhogataki Ice Festival and Light-up be held?

Expectations are high for 2024 as it did not completely freeze by February 2023.

we predict that the new coronavirus will subside and the Nyuhogataki Ice Festival will be held in 2024

Even if the Nyuhogataki Ice Festival is cancelled, the lights will still be lit up.

It is lit up around February every year, but the lighting period changes depending on how frozen the waterfall is, so please check the Nishimeya Village homepage

It's very cold there, so be sure to wear warm clothing when you go to see the illuminations.

summary

This time we introduced "Nyuhogataki" in Nishimeya Village.

In the summer, the waterfall looks beautiful like white silk, but in the coldest months, the surface of the waterfall freezes to reveal an icy waterfall. Why not feel the tradition of Nishimeya Village at the "Nihogataki Ice Festival" and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere and Instagram-worthy space lit up at night?

INFORMATION

• Name: Niogataki
• Address: 47-1 Natsubodaira, Nishimeya Village, Nakatsugaru District, Aomori Prefecture 036-1411
• Phone number: 0172-85-2800 (Nishimeya Village Office Industry Division Commerce and Tourism Section)
• URL: Nishimeya village homepage

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