Kegon Falls

This postcard came to me from Japan.

Kegon Fallus are located at Lake Chūzenji - (source of the Oshiri River) in Nikkō National Park in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The falls were formed when the Daiya River was rerouted by lava flows. About twelve smaller waterfalls are situated behind and to the sides of Kegon Falls, leaking through the many cracks between the mountain and the lava flows.

There are 48 waterfalls in Nikko, but Kegon waterfall is the most famous among these. The water falls from 97 meters high and you will enjoy natural beauty around the fall. Nachi waterfall in Wakayama prefecture, Fukuroda waterfall in Ibaragi prefecture and Kegon waterfall in Nikko are known as the finest three waterfalls of Japan. The name of the Kegon was derived from a part of Buddhist sutra. By the way, names of Nehan waterfall and Hannya waterfall also were derived from the Buddhist sutra.

In the autumn, the traffic on the road from Nikko to Chūzenji can sometimes slow to a crawl as visitors come to see the fall colors.

The Kegon Falls are infamous for suicides, especially among Japanese youth.