Hossawa Falls on a Wintry Morning
During a previous visit to the Hossawa Falls in early spring a few years back, splendid greenery complemented Tokyo’s most renowned waterfall. This time was a little less joyful, arising at the crack of dawn on a freezing cold morning – thankfully though the wintry blast from the previous day had shifted to glorious blue skies. In my earlier write-up, I made mention that the falls occasionally freeze over in the wintertime. In fact, the locals in Hinohara Village hold and annual “icefall quiz” where partakers try to guess the day of the year the waterfall will freeze the most. The daily frozen percentages can be tracked here. Unfortunately, however on the day I visited (February 11th) the fraction was only 20 percent, and has only topped out at 65 percent this winter. With warmer weather now on the horizon it looks as though the falls won’t be icing over anytime soon.
Footbridge near the bus stop.
Passing the old post office.
Dam down stream of the falls.
First view of the falls.
Icy foot bridge.
Hossawa Falls in winter.
Ice congregates at bottom of Hossawa Falls.
Upper reaches of the falls.
Looking back through the valley.
Sunny skies back at the bus stop.
