JP · Miyazaki Prefecture · 32.71°N 131.31°E

takachiho

Basalt gorge walls, a waterfall over rowing boats and village kagura dancing.

Best time
April–May and October–November are best for walking, with autumn colour in November. June–July is the rainy season, when high water can stop the rowing boats.
How long
1–2 nights
Getting there
Fly from KL to Fukuoka (about 6 hours direct). A highway bus from Hakata takes about 3.5 hours, or it's about 3 hours by car. Buses also run from Kumamoto, about 3 hours. Japan is an hour ahead of KL.
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JP · Miyazaki Prefecturetakachiho32.71°N 131.31°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Basalt gorge walls, a waterfall over rowing boats and village kagura dancing.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingTakachihoJP, Miyazaki Prefecture
KLtakachiho
≈ 4,508 km from KL, as the crow flies
高千穂峡と真名井の滝

Photo: Ippukucho · CC BY 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A small mountain town in Miyazaki, built around a narrow gorge of basalt columns. It's also deep in Japanese myth, and the shrines and nightly kagura dances retell the story of the sun goddess hiding in a cave.

Makan

  1. Nagashi somenChilled noodles sent down a bamboo flume, served at a restaurant down in the gorge.Map ↗
  2. Takachiho beefMiyazaki wagyu from the hills around town, grilled or over rice.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Takachiho GorgeBasalt cliffs up to about 100 metres high, with Manai Falls dropping into the river. Walk the path above or rent a rowing boat below.Map ↗
  2. Takachiho ShrineAncient cedars around a shrine that holds a short kagura dance performance every evening.Map ↗
  3. Amano Iwato ShrineThe shrine facing the cave where the sun goddess hid, with a riverside path to Amano Yasukawara, a cave filled with little stone piles.Map ↗
  4. KunimigaokaA hilltop lookout known for seas of cloud on autumn mornings.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The rowing boats book out on weekends and holidays, so reserve ahead. Heavy rain can cancel them.
  • Buses are few. A hire car from Fukuoka or Kumamoto makes it easy to add Aso on the way.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.