Kumamoto: Greenery Attracts visitors to Waterfall Hotspot; Advanced Tickets Required Since Hit Commercial

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:48 JST, June 14, 2024

OGUNI, Kumamoto — Greenery season has come to a rare spot where visitors can look out from behind a waterfall, and tourists are flocking to the site.

The Nabegataki Falls in Oguni, Kumamoto Prefecture, is about 10 meters tall and 20 meters wide. The four seasons can be experienced here not just from a frontal view, but also by entering the space behind the waterfall and looking out through the curtain of water.

Previously, a TV commercial had triggered an increase in tourists in the area, which caused traffic jams and inconvenienced locals. In response, the town government now requires visitors to purchase admission tickets online in advance. Last year, around 145,000 people visited the waterfall from April to December, but there were no major traffic jams, according to the municipality.

“I was refreshed by the greenery and the negative ions of the waterfall,” said a 31-year-old woman visiting from Fukuoka.