Kegon Falls is the sole outlet for Lake Chuzenji, Japans's highest altitude lake at nearly 4,400 feet above sea level. This dramatic 318 foot plunge ranks it as one of Japan's three tallest waterfalls.
Although there may be as many as 48 waterfalls in the Nikko area, including 18 around this waterfall, Kegon Falls is by far the most famous and spectacular, in the inner area of Nikko National Park.
There are viewing platforms and and elevator constructed n 1930 that transports visitors near to the base for a different perspective. Kegon falls is especially popular in the autumn when the colored leaves form a striking backdrop.
Kegon falls also has gained a reputation for many suicides, especially among young people disappointed in love.
It has been featured on several Japanese postage stamps.
NOTE: Coordinates are for the viewing area.
Nikko National Park was established on December 1934 as Japan's fourth largest national park encompassing 114,908 ha (443 sq. mi.). In 2007, a 37,200 hectare (143 sq. mi.) portion was separated to form Oze National Park, Japan’s largest area of highland marsh. The following description of Nikko National Park is from the Natural Parks Foundation:
Nikko National Park has both natural and man-made attractions. It enjoys varied natural beauty such as high mountains of 2,000 – 2,500 m above sea level, abundant forests, marshes and lakes, and also exquisite architecture typified by the Nikkotoshogu Shrine. As it is close to the metropolitan area and accessible via public transportation, the park attracts many visitors.
The core of the park is the Nikko area which has two types of attractions. One is its historic architecture of cultural value, such as the Nikkotoshogu Shrine, Futarasanjinja Shrine and Rinnoji Temple listed as one of the UNESCO World Cultural sites. The other is the beautiful nature of Oku-Nikko, which is in the upcountry.
Nikkotoshogu Shrine is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, a shogun who played a great role in Japanese history. It was built in the 17th century and has both cultural and historical value. There are many structures and items of interest including exquisite objects of craftwork kept in different buildings in the mausoleum.
Oku-Nikko contains a variety of scenic spots such as Senjogahara and other marshes, mountains including Mt. Shiranesan (2,578 m), which is the highest mountain in the Kanto Region and northward. There are also Lake Chuzenjiko and other lakes, many waterfalls, including Kegonnotaki Waterfall which drops off from a 97 m stone face, surrounding forests of Japanese oaks (Quercus crispula) and other trees and hot springs. While signs of aridification can be observed in Senjogahara Marsh, its open landscape dotted with trees, such as Japanese larches (Larix kaempferi), still has great charm.
Further north, there are many hot springs upstream of the Kinugawa River and its tributaries. In a mountain over these hot spring resorts lies Kinunuma Marsh. This area also enjoys many scenic valleys and waterfalls.
In the northern part of the park stretches the Nasu Mountain Range centering around Mt. Chausudake (1,915 m) which has a very broad base. The range's highest peak is Mt. Sanbonyaridake (1,917 m) where some alpine plants grow. On the slopes of mountains in the northern part of the range, plateaus with broad-leaved forests and ranches stretch out.
In the Shiobara area, there are some hot spring resorts with long histories. Happogahara, a terrace famous for communities of Japanese azalea (Rhododendron molle subsp. japonicum), extends to the east.