Ochouzu-No-Taki Falls

Ochouzu-No-Taki Falls

Ochouzu-No-Taki Falls Ochozu Falls on the southern foot of Mount Kusenbu, is a beautiful waterfall with a height of 22 meters. Known as hallowed ground since the Muromachi Period, the name Ochozu Falls which literally means "The hand-washing waterfall" originates from the legend that monks used to come here to wash their hands and cleanse their bodies. There is a statue of Bodhisattva Cintāmaṇicakra in the middle of the cliff near the waterfall, and in the cave on the left there is an enshrinement of Vairocana and Acala, making for a very solemn atmosphere. The delicious, cold, clear water is a favorite spot to escape the heat, and is also home to creatures such as Cryptobranchoidea (a suborder of salamanders) and Japanese fluvial sculpin. There are many wild birds in the area, making it ideal for bird watching, but there is also a walking track, azumaya, a camp site downstream and a river pool with free admission. Moreover, Mount Kusenbu, where Ochozu Falls is located, is a treasure box of various flora. For example, it is the northern-most point that the Rhododendron tashiroi, a plant dispersed from southern Shikoku to Taiwan, grows, and also where warabi (Pteridium aquilinum) valuable from a scientific perspective, was discovered. The dense thicket consisting primarily of beech, is worth particular mention as a spot along the Kyushu Nature Trail.

 


● Access:
From train station: 30-minute taxi ride from Tosu Station on the JR Kagoshima Main Line and Nagasaki Main Line to the parking lot, followed by 15-minute walk
Car: 30-minute drive from Nagasaki Expressway Tosu IC to the parking lot


● Entry Fee: Free


● Parking Lot: Accommodates 25 cars (free of charge)


● Fees for Camp Site: 2,000 yen for temporary tent, 1,000 yen for bring-your-own tent, 1,000 yen for resting

*The camp site and river swimming pool are open only during summer holidays. Free entry to the swimming pool


● Contact: Division of Commercial and Industrial Promotion, Tosu City Government, Tel: +81-942-85-3605

Map

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