Matsumi Falls is one of the harder-won entries on Japan's Top 100 list. It drops 90 meters in two tiers on the upper Kise River — a tributary of the Oirase, the storied stream that drains Lake Towada — about 6.5 kilometers above the confluence, deep inside national forest land in the city of Towada, Aomori Prefecture. The two tiers wear different textures: the upper fall spreads like a bolt of white cloth, while the lower resembles a bamboo blind hung vertically, water dividing into fine parallel strands. The name is said to come from the pines (matsu) growing wild on both banks. The Ministry of the Environment listed it among Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls in 1990.
Visiting Matsumi Falls
Reaching Matsumi Falls demands commitment: about three hours on foot from National Route 102 — six hours round trip — with proper mountain equipment required. Snow closes the approach entirely in winter. The falls lie within national forest in Towada, Aomori Prefecture.
