Tenkawa Village, Nara Prefecture
Listening to the falls from a bridge amid autumn leaves A Riverside Walk in Tenkawa in November
Some days, I want more than just the view of autumn leaves from the car window. I want to get out and walk beside the river, listening to the water. That’s when I head to Mitarai Gorge. In early November, I’ll pull on my coat and make my way to the suspension bridge. From there, I can see the water below and the leaves overhead all at once.
Here’s the story of a November morning I spent walking by the falls.
AutumnMorning in early November
Following the current, then pausing on the bridge
As I drove toward Tenkawa one November morning, I pictured the walk ahead. I kept my eyes on the road and steered through the bends. When I reached the gorge and stepped out of the car, the mountain air carried the sound of water. Today, I wanted more than a view; I wanted to walk closer to where the sound was coming from.
Once I stepped onto the trail, huge boulders lined both sides of the river. I had my usual hoodie under my coat and my walking boots on. As I walked along the leaf-strewn path, the sound of water grew louder, then faded again. I lowered my camera and followed the current with my eyes.
When I reached the suspension bridge and rested a hand lightly on the railing, the waterfall was right below me. Water poured between the rocks in a rush of white, then settled into a quiet pool farther along. Autumn leaves continued beyond the branches, and I kept glancing up at them, then down at the water. I stayed on the bridge longer than I’d expected.
Mitarai Gorge has a trail that winds past waterfalls of all sizes and huge boulders. As I walked beside the river, the water sounded different and seemed to move at a different pace from one stretch to the next. For today, I was happy just to take in those differences by the falls. I’ll save the full trail for another day.
I wanted to stop in Dorogawa too. Gorogoro Teahouse serves warabi mochi made with Gorogoro Water, so it sounds like the perfect sweet ending to a day by the river. Before leaving the mountains, I thought back to the sound of water I’d been hearing all along the trail.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local treats to try
Warabi mochi made with Gorogoro Water
At Gorogoro Teahouse in Dorogawa, you can enjoy warabi mochi made with Gorogoro Water. After a walk through the gorge, that sounds like a lovely snack to add to my trip.
Highlights
The waterfall below the suspension bridge
Water threads between huge boulders, and the bridge gives you a view straight down to the falls. I lowered my camera as I followed the current with my eyes. I got curious about the way the water sounded too, and stayed longer than I’d planned.
Roads and walking trails
Mitarai Trail, from Kawai in Tenkawa Village to the Dorogawa district
- Full trail distance
- About 8 km
- Total elevation change along the trail
- Nearly 200 m
The trail runs from the village information center toward Dorogawa. I like to wander along the section by the gorge when I come to see the waterfalls.
The figures refer to the full trail shown on the village’s official model route. They aren’t the distance or elevation change for just the stretch around the suspension bridge.
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