Yatogi and Other Falls of Mount Osuzu

What?
The Yatogi Waterfall (矢研の滝) is a 73 meter high waterfall near the base of Mount Osuzu (尾鈴山). It has been selected as one of Japan’s “100 best waterfall” (I do not know who makes up these lists). Mount Osuzu has a many other waterfalls to boast though. One of the most impressive ones is the Shirataki Waterfall (白滝). The path to these falls is well maintained and easy to follow and can serve as kind of forest bathing.
Where?
Mount Osuzu is located in the dead center of Miyazaki Prefecture (宮崎県), and so are its many surrounding waterfalls. The trail head and as such the starting point for visiting the waterfalls, is a parking lot near a camping site which is only accessible by car. Until 3km before the parking lot the road is broad and a breeze to follow; the last stretch though runs on a single lane winding along huge rocks and cliffs.
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Visit Miyazaki

I knew the weather wasn’t going to be very well for my visit to Miyazaki Prefecture, but I still went in good spirits. Rain, after all, is as much nature as beautiful blue skies.
But that good spirit dampened pretty quickly yesterday, and so I decided last minute to cancel my long awaited climb of Mount Karakuni and go for some waterfall hunting instead.
While the rain today was limited to the early morning, I didn’t want to risk a complete absence of views on a mountain that has been long on my to-climb-list. Waterfalls on the other hand benefit from a few rainy days, and the cloudier, the better you can photograph them.

I took my car to the parking lot at the base of Mount Osuzu, fully knowing that the last few kilometers to get there would be on dreadfully small roads. In the morning I thought that maybe I would give up again, like a few years earlier in Shikoku, but then what would be the point in changing plans last minute? I persevered and arrived safely (so without oncoming cars) to begin my search for a bunch of waterfalls.

Initially I planned to hike for the falls on the Mount Osuzu side first, and then return to save the Yatogi falls for last. I also changed this plan, because after the rain of the previous days, I first wanted to check the conditions of the ground. As the Yatogi Falls were closer to the parking lot, it would have to go first.
However, before even starting the trail to the Yatogi Waterfall properly, a sign said the path was closed due to a landslide. I know that much of the time the Japanese tend to be extremely cautious, and as I didn’t come here just to give up, I ignored the sign and would just stop if things got too dangerous.
Lucky me, apart from a small patch with fallen rocks, there was absolutely nothing to worry about. The path wasn’t even soggy at all after all the rain from the previous days.
I walked for about 15 minutes, took a turn left and was surprised to suddenly find a big waterfall merely a few meters from my face. It was very nice, but on the other hand also too small to be part of Japan’s most beautiful 100 waterfalls. It’s then that I realized this wasn’t the Yatogi Waterfall yet. I continued for a few minutes and then there it was. The Yatogi Waterfall really is beautiful. And it’s always nice to be alone while contemplating such beauty. I did briefly compare in my head in favor of the Todoroki Falls, but comparing has no use; in itself, this is a great waterfall.

Approaching the Yatogi Falls.

This big landslide cut the path in two.

The trolley tunnel.

The greenness reminded me of Yakushima.

I usually prefer the save the best for last, so I started to doubt my decision to do Yatogi first, but again, I didn’t change my plans just to stop before I finished the hike. So I backtracked my steps and started the path towards the Shirataki Waterfall. The path overlaps with the one going to the summit of Mount Osuzu, but even then, there were very few hikers out today, despite it being a Saturday.
Whatever the case, if you are here just for the waterfalls, the mention of a 1400m high mountain shouldn’t scare you, as the real climb only starts after the Shirataki Falls.
The approach consists of a long, extremely gentle climb on a very well-maintained path with excellent markers. I was surprised that in the end I had done some 800 meters of climbing, because nowhere was there a steep part, or even a tough part. Even the last 200 meters up to the Shirataki Falls – which were decidedly “wilder” than the whole walk before it – cannot be described as steep.
At one point though, a huge landslide literally split the path in 2. The rubble-crossing wasn’t that tough or dangerous, but you could wonder why this path wasn’t discontinued while the one to Yatogi Falls was…
The whole walk through the forest was very pleasant, not in the least thanks to the continued noise of water flowing. It would prevent me to sleep at night, but here, before noon, in a forest that - despite it being winter – was fresh and green, the noise had a comfortable feel to it. But that changed when the noise suddenly turned into a rumbling, like that of a plane passing overhead. The first big waterfall came into sight. The Sudare Waterfall drops its load from a point very high above. What it has in height though, it lacks in broadness. I couldn’t believe the noise came from this waterfall, and my suspicion got confirmed immediately as the Sagiri Waterfall came into sight.
The path runs along the river, but just a little too far and too high to have a perfect view on the stream and its many falls. For the Sagiri Waterfall though, a stretch of trees was cut down to give visitors a rather unobstructed view of its water crashing into a velvety water basin.

Immediately after this, a tunnel carved into rock catches the attention. It’s not natural, and a plaque explains that there used to train a small trolley for forestry along this path. It’s pretty impressive, and in group it would surely be fun to take pictures of each other’s silhouettes.
I didn’t mind being alone though, as I had the discoveries of other falls, like the Sarasa Waterfall or the Hagakure Waterfall, all to myself.

If you want to enjoy beautiful waterfalls but can’t really cross difficult terrain, I suggest you return after the Hagakure falls, just before you need to cross the river on some small, very loosely laying metal planks. From here the terrain gets a little harder – nothing to scare more seasoned hikers – to the treat of the day: the Shirataki Falls.

Nowadays, a search on the net can show you everything. It is extremely handy, but it also spoils a bit the anticipation, the natural surprise, the feeling of awe.
Because of my last-minute changing of plans though, I had just decided that the Shirataki Waterfall would be my point of return. I had no idea what it looked like or whether it was uberhaupt worthwhile.
Let me be very clear: I saved the best waterfall for last. You can hear the water crashing down from far away. You know you are close, not only due to the noise, but also because of the signs and because the air gets a little more damp. You wonder why you are walking away from the river and where for crying out loud this waterfall would be. This waterfall, which is clearly marked on every sign you have encountered until now, while no other waterfall was.
And then suddenly it’s there. First you see the sign, then you see some vague white mass, and then there it is.
There is a kind of fence signaling the end the path, but from here I couldn’t see the highest point. I descended a very little bit – completely safe – and finally had a view of the whole waterfall. It isn’t as high as the Fukuroda falls, but lacking the touristic approach it was equally or even more impressive – comparing again, no good.

I sat myself down for an onigiri and was thoroughly pleased with my decision on the go.
Mount Osuzu has a great many more of waterfalls for everyone to explore, but a whole loop-hike to the top would tire me out too much to be able to return confidently by car (I am not such a confident driver). I didn’t mind at all, enjoying Shirataki during lunch.
Mount Karakuni will have to wait a little longer.