Fujikawachi Keikoku

The quest for beauty often requires an effort, and the journey to one of Oita’s sublimely scenic sites is no different. Found literally at the end of a long and winding road, at the furthest southern reaches of the prefecture, is the eight kilometre long Fujikawachi Keikoku. Few other places in Oita are as distant and remote but the time and energy spent in travelling here is more than repaid by this gorge’s glorious natural beauty.

From Kannon-taki, a towering 77 metre-high waterfall, flow the cool limpid waters that have tumbled and eddied for millennia through the gorge carving an intricate and continuous series of cascades and pools in the reddish-pink granite bedrock. Enveloped in a lush natural forest, the Fujikawachi Keikoku enchants any visitor whatever the season. It is adorned in spring with the subtle and myriad greens of the new leaf and in autumn with a foliage of brilliant reds and yellows. In winter, the stream is often frozen in mid-flow, while in summer it provides a verdant and refreshingly cool respite from the humidity and heat.

Make the most of the gorge's beauty by hiking its length to Kannon-taki and back. For the more adventurous join a canyoning tour, which are available between June and September. At Yutopia, a nearby onsen hot spring, enjoy a final highlight of your visit by relaxing in the baths its baths before making the return journey.