Kegon Waterfall
On the Daya River near the Japanese city of Nikko, there is one of the best natural attractions – the Kagon Waterfall. The river made its way from the high-altitude lake Chuzenji. A long time ago, volcanic lava blocked the riverbed, and a waterfall formed.
A water stream about 7 m wide collapses from a height of 97 m. Almost three tons of water are falling down every second. The depth of the font reaches 4.5 m. In spring, during snowmelt, and during the rainy season, the flow capacity and volume increase. Next to the main waterfall, 12 smaller streams flow through lava and cracks in the rocks.
There are 48 waterfalls in the city area. Kagon is the most famous of them. It is one of the three most beautiful waterfalls in the country. In 1900, a tea house was built at the foot of the waterfall. Until that time, it was quite difficult to approach the rapid flow. You can admire the rushing streams of water from two equipped viewing platforms. The free one is located near the parking lot. It offers a magnificent view of the waterfall from above. Since 1930, a lift has been operating that takes travelers to the observation deck at the very base of the waterfall. The elevator is located next to the parking lot. It takes less than a minute to descend from a hundred-meter height. To get to the observation deck, you need to go through an underground tunnel. Even on the hottest day, the temperature in it does not rise above 15 degrees. The playground is located at the lowest point of the waterfall and has three levels. The waterfall itself, the surrounding cliffs and the picturesque valley are perfectly visible from it.
There is an observatory on the Aketidaira plateau. From the height of the plateau, there is a magnificent panorama of Kagon and Chuzenji. There is a cable car leading to Aketidaira. The waterfall is located 500 m from the lake, and annually approaches it by almost 2 cm. The name "Kagon" is borrowed from Buddhist sutras. The name of the waterfall was given by a wandering monk who accidentally found it.
Since mid-October, during the Momiji-gari period, Kagon has been particularly impressive. The foliage of the trees surrounding it acquires bright autumn colors, and gives an already picturesque appearance a special beauty. In spring, the rocks around are covered with amazing azalea flowers. There is a version that the waterfall got its name from them, because "Kagon" means "flower garland".
In summer, there are many swallows surrounded by a huge fan of water spray from the Kagon Waterfall. The rays of the sun, reflected in the drops, form an amazing rainbow. In winter, the waterfall freezes, taking on a fabulous icy shape. Downstream, the water from the font of the waterfall passes through the gorge and forms another waterfall – Nehan, which means "Nirvana".
In May 1903, M. Fujimura, a young poet and philosophy student, jumped off the waterfall. Before the fatal jump, he left a note, which later got into the media. This is far from the only case of suicide. Kagon has gained the infamous reputation of a place where people commit suicide.
