Takachiho Gorge
National Place Of Scenic Beauty And Natural Monument · Takachiho, Miyazaki
A narrow gorge in the mountains of northern Miyazaki in Kyushu, cut by the Gokase river through columns of basalt formed by lava from ancient eruptions of Mount Aso. Its sheer walls, up to about a hundred metres high, are covered in green, and the Manai waterfall drops seventeen metres into the gorge from the rim. The classic experience is renting a rowboat and rowing up the gorge to sit beneath the falls, although boats are limited and queues are long, so they are now booked in advance. A walking path along the rim gives views down into the gorge. Takachiho is the setting of some of Japan's founding myths: it is said to be where the grandson of the sun goddess descended to earth, and nearby is Amano Iwato Shrine, facing the cave where the sun goddess Amaterasu hid and plunged the world into darkness. Every night at Takachiho Shrine, dancers perform Yokagura, sacred dances retelling these myths. The area is remote, reached by bus from Kumamoto or Nobeoka.
Mitai, Takachiho-cho, Takachiho, Miyazaki, 882-1101, Japan
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: the rim path is open in daylight; boats run in daytime, roughly from morning to late afternoon, only with advance reservations and only when the river is safe. Yokagura runs every evening at Takachiho Shrine, usually at 8 pm for about an hour. Amano Iwato keeps daytime shrine hours. Buses are infrequent and last buses leave early. Confirm current times and river closures before relying on them.