Urami Falls

In short

Urami Falls is a waterfall on the Mihara River located in Nakanogo, on the southern side of Hachijojima Island. The path along an irrigation channel passes behind the waterfall, making it famous for the rare sight of being able to view the cascading water from the inside. Reaching the falls requires walking along a trail bordered by lush, large ferns such as hego tree ferns.

• ​Walk behind the waterfall​​: The path runs along the inside of the falls, allowing you to view the cascading water from behind.
• ​A trail lush with ferns​​: Giant ferns such as hego and ryubintai flourish here, with large specimens exceeding 3 meters and creating an ancient forest atmosphere.
• ​Open-air bath near the entrance​​: Near the trailhead lies Urami Falls Onsen, where you can bathe while looking down at the waterfall. It is a mixed-gender bath and requires swimwear.

History and Highlights

Urami Falls is located in the Nakanogo district on the southern part of Hachijojima Island. Situated on the ocean side of the prefectural road circling the island, near Aigae Port, it lies on the Mihara River. It was formed where the Mihara River intersects with an irrigation channel that supplies water to the rice paddies of Nakanogo.

The name "Urami Falls" (meaning "view from behind") comes from the rare sight of the irrigation path passing behind the curtain of water, allowing visitors to see the falls from the inside. Standing on the trail, the torrent falls right before your eyes. The spectacle of water illuminated by light showering down like rain is exhilarating. After rainfall, the surging volume of water is truly breathtaking.

Urami Falls is one of five waterfalls nestled within Mt. Mihara. Mt. Mihara is known as "Higashiyama" (East Mountain), contrasting with Mt. Hachijo-Fuji's "Nishiyama" (West Mountain), and its mountainsides host Io Falls, Kara Falls, Urami Falls, Miyuki Falls, and Otaki Falls.

Downstream from the waterfall stands the stone shrine of Tametomo-jinja Shrine. It was built in 1840, during the Tenpo era of the Edo period, by Senjiro, a stonemason exiled to the island, using basalt quarried on Hachijojima.

Sights and Experiences

• ​Viewing the waterfall from behind​​: Stand on the path running behind the falls and look up at the falling water from the inside. In summer, the soothing babble of the stream and the mist from the falls offer a refreshing coolness.
• ​Walking through the fern forest​​: Growing along the trail are giant ferns distinctive to Hachijojima, including hego and ryubintai. Some reach heights of over 3 meters, evoking a primeval woodland. Trees like sudajii chinquapin and tabunoki bay trees also grow thickly, forming a jungle-like forest.
• ​Visiting the Tametomo-jinja Shrine​​: After admiring the falls, you can take a detour from along the walking path to the stone shrine of Tametomo-jinja Shrine. It is located atop a steep flight of stone stairs, so take care when going up and down.

Walking Tips

Urami Falls is about a 20-minute drive from Hachijojima Airport to the trail entrance. If traveling by bus, get off at "Nakata Shoten-mae" and walk about 15 minutes to reach the falls. From the entrance, the waterfall is about a 5-minute walk along the trail. Strolling around the waterfall takes about 15 minutes and is easy to enjoy. There are stair-like sections along the path, so wearing sandals is not recommended. Near the entrance is Urami Falls Onsen. It is an open-air hot spring bath overlooking the waterfall; because it is mixed-gender, wearing a swimsuit is required. This is a different hot spring from Miharashi-no-Yu located in Sueyoshi. Miharashi-no-Yu is about 3.6 km east-northeast from here.