REPORT

After less than a 20-minute walk along the gently sloping path from the Shomyo-daira Parking Area (pictured, upper left), I arrived at Shomyo Bridge (pictured, lower right). Even near the public restrooms just before the bridge, I could already feel the cool spray drifting from Shomyo Falls. Stepping onto the bridge, I was greeted by the breathtaking sight of an immense volume of water plunging into the basin below with a thunderous roar. It was one of those moments that makes you stop in your tracks.
[Shomyo Falls Viewing Area]

Crossing the bridge brings you to the Shomyo Falls Viewing Area (pictured), perched at an elevation of 1,080 meters above sea level. The heavy mist that had drenched the first half of the bridge had largely dissipated by the time I reached the viewing area, allowing me to take in the entire waterfall at a leisurely pace. While I was taking photos, I repeatedly heard visitors exclaiming, “Wow!” as they caught their first glimpse of the falls.
[Shomyo Falls Viewing Area]

Japan’s tallest waterfall proved to be even more impressive than I had imagined. Shomyo Falls cascades in four distinct stages: 70 meters at the top, followed by drops of 58 meters, 96 meters, and finally 126 meters. The plunge pool below measures approximately 60 meters across and six meters deep. By the time I began the walk back (pictured), the number of visitors had noticeably increased, and, much like on a mountain trail, people were cheerfully greeting one another with a friendly “Konnichiwa.”
[Shomyo Road]

Before visiting Shomyo Falls, I had only grabbed a convenience store rice ball, so on the drive back toward Hakuba I stopped at a restaurant near the coast for a fresh seafood rice bowl. Afterward, I took a short nap in the car before continuing to Aramata Beach (pictured), the filming location for the final scene of the 2017 movie Reminiscence. Parking beside the public restroom near the seawall, I finished the day with a quiet walk along the beach, listening to the sound of the waves.
[Aramata Beach]

　
＊The annual Kurobe Dam water discharge begins on 6/26 (Fri.).
　　　
[Kurobe Dam]
*Location … Omachi, Nagano Prefecture & Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture
*Operating Period … April 15, 2026 – November 30, 2026
*Fare … Round trip by electric bus (Ogisawa – Kurobe Dam): JPY3,200 for adults, JPY1,600 for elementary school students
*Parking … Ogisawa Station: JPY1,000/day for passenger cars (free parking is also available)

[Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route]
*Location … Omachi, Nagano Prefecture & Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture
*Opening period … April 15, 2026 – November 30, 2026
*Ougisawa Station Parking lot … JPY1,000/12 hours for passenger cars (*Free parking is also available)
*Required time … Approximately 1 hour from Hakuba Village to Ogisawa Station by car.
*Transportation from Ogisawa to Murodo … JPY12,300 round trip for adults, JPY6,150 for children
　
＊Request for the original data of our photographs
　
reported by Snownavi