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A Spot that Suddenly Became Famous After The NHK’s Taiga Drama

Ogawa Waterfall is located on the Osumi Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture, which had been an unexplored spot until then. It is characterized by a waterfall basin that shines in emerald green, which can be seen under the right conditions. Many people have been attracting attention to the waterfall due to the NHK Taiga drama.

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Ogawa Waterfall

The waterfall has a height of 46 m and a width of 60 m, located upstream of the Ogawa River. It is a scenic spot that was introduced in the “Sangoku Meisho Zue” in the late Edo period. However, at that time, there was a hard-to-reach place in the mountains that was not paved yet, so it was an unexplored region known to those in the know. The promenade leading to the waterfall was built in 2000, making it easier to reach, and word of mouth has gradually made this place known. Since it was used in the opening video of the NHK Taiga drama “Segodon” that aired in 2018, it attracts a lot of attention and is now a popular sightseeing spot.




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Conditions to See the WaterFall in Its Superb

Ogawa Waterfall is well-known for its emerald green waterfall basin. However, that magnificent view can only be seen under certain conditions.

・ A minimum of 3 sunny days, including the day of the visit
・ During that time, the Ogawa Dam has not been released.
・ Sunny afternoon on the day is the best time to see the shine

When the above conditions are met, you can enjoy that spectacular view.

Besides of the emerald green basin, if the water from the dam flows, you can feel the powerful Ogawa waterfall where a large amount of water flows down wonderfully.

Two Observatories To Enjoy the Ogawa Waterfall


Ogawa Waterfall has two observatories, the Ogawa Waterfall Observatory and Upstream Observatory. Ogawa Waterfall Observatory is a new observatory created in 2017 and a great place to see the waterfall basin.

The Upstream Observatory is an observatory located upstream of the waterfall. From here, you can see the water of the river flowing down to the waterfall. If you have time to spare, we recommend that you stop by here as well.





The Promenade Leading to the Waterfall


To reach Ogawa Waterfall, visitors need to walk about 1.2km along the promenade that takes about 20 minutes. The promenade is well maintained and you can safely walk even for small children and the elderly. However, there are some ups and downs, so it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes. As you walk along the mountain stream, you can enjoy the flow of the river with clear water where you can see fishes swimming in it, the rich nature of trees and plants, and gradually you can see the waterfall.





Ogawa Waterfall

Address 12222 Nejimekawakita, Kimotsu-cho, Kagoshima Prefecture
TEL 0994-24-3115
Note ※Please refrain from entering at night


・2 hours 15 mins by car from Kagoshima Airport
・2 hours 15 mins by car from Kagoshima Chuo station (can use Sakurajima ferry or Tarumizu ferry)