HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Nanataki Frozen Falls in Hachimantai
A tour to the magnificent frozen waterfall located in Mount Iwate in Iwate Prefecture
Hachimantai DMO Inc.
Nanataki Falls is a magnificent natural waterfall located near one of Mount Iwate’s hiking trailheads. In winter, it adopts an enormous sheath of pure blue ice, standing 25 to 30 meters tall. The snow platforms that form also allow you to walk almost right up to it and appreciate its grandeur firsthand. The best time to do this is in February. While the forest trails leading to the falls are typically piled high with snow during this time, you can get there easily with snowshoes. It’s a relaxed, 1 hour and 30-minute walk, with local guides leading you on an exploration of the area’s quiet forests. You might even spot some animal trails. This is a must-see experience that can only be had in winter.
How to get there
From Tokyo Station, take the Tohoku Shinkansen or Akita Shinkansen to Morioka Station (about 2 hours 15 minutes). From Morioka Station, take the JR Hanawa Line to Obuke Station (about 35 minutes). From Obuke Station, take a Northern Iwate Transportation bus to the “Hachimantai Mountain Hotel” bus stop (about 30 minutes).
By car, the frozen falls are about 15 minutes from the Matsuo-Hachimantai Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway.
1-509-1 Matsuoyoriki, Hachimantai-shi, Iwate-ken
