Kawamata River Gorge

The Kawamata River flows from the southern foothills of the Yatsugatake mountain range, with Mt. Akadake and Mt. Gongen as its water source. Of its two branches, Higashizawa and Nishizawa, Higashizawa is especially known for some of the area’s most beautiful gorge scenery.

This cool gorge, fed by a clear, abundant stream even in summer, has a trekking course where you can enjoy a walk of Approx. 2.5 to 3 hours while taking in the varied scenery. Because a major collapse has made it impossible to walk along the gorge from the striking bright-red Higashizawa Bridge directly to Doryu Falls, the recommended route is a loop starting in front of the Seisen-Ryo Jersey Hut.

This course has many highlights, including waterfalls of various sizes, huge boulders, and natural beech forests. One of the most popular spots is Doryu Falls, with a drop of 10 m and a width of 15 m. Its name is said to come from the way the small cascades flowing down in tiers through the rocks look like a dragon spouting water. During the fresh green season and fall foliage season, the surrounding trees make its graceful beauty stand out even more, creating a stunning view.

In front of the Seisen-Ryo Jersey Hut, the starting point of the trekking course, there is also parking and restrooms, making it a convenient place to use if you are coming by car. On the loop route, you can walk back up Paul Rusch Street and return to the parking lot.

The Kiyosato Picnic Bus, which circles the area’s major spots starting from Kiyosato Station, is also recommended. Get off at “Seisen-Ryo.” It takes about 5 minutes from “Kiyosato Station” to “Seisen-Ryo.”