Fudo Falls at Takahata, in the city of Hachimantai, Iwate Prefecture, holds a double distinction: a place in Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls and in Iwate's own 20 Famous Waters. The 15-meter fall stands within the innermost grounds of Sakuramatsu Shrine, which enshrines the river goddess Seoritsu-hime, and the setting is inseparable from its long religious history. This was once a training ground for yamabushi mountain ascetics, and in 1934 a stone-carved image of Fudo Myo-o — the immovable wisdom king who gives the falls their name — was installed on the left bank, where it still keeps watch over the water.
Visiting Fudo Falls
The fall sits at the far end of the Sakuramatsu Shrine precincts in Takahata, Hachimantai. Visitors approach through the shrine grounds; the atmosphere remains that of a sacred site, and it deserves a quiet, respectful visit.
