Nachi Falls I couldn't help bowing to the falls beyond the pagoda

When I stepped around behind the main hall at Seiganto-ji Temple, I saw Nachi Falls beyond the three-story pagoda. It was late April, and the spring air felt good after the walk. I looked at the pagoda, then the falls, then the pagoda again. I'd seen this view in pictures, but I couldn't settle my gaze.

The waterfall is so much farther back than the pagoda. When I spotted the water dropping straight through the forest, something inside me went quiet. As my eyes moved from the pagoda nearby to the waterfall far beyond, I began to take in the full scale of the view. I'm glad I walked all this way.

I'd read that Nachi Falls is the sacred focus of worship at Hiro Shrine, so I brought my hands together in front of me and gave a small bow. When I looked up, the water was still flowing, just as before. I straightened my back, telling myself to really look—but then my shoulders relaxed.

When I see a beautiful view, my first instinct is always to take a photo. But this time, I wanted to keep looking. I didn't want to take my eyes off the scene just to have a picture to revisit at home. So I stayed a little longer before taking one.

I slowly let my gaze travel from the roof of the three-story pagoda to the falls. The pagoda stood still, while the waterfall kept flowing. Maybe that's why I never get tired of looking at the two of them together. I wanted my driving friend to see it too, but would she understand why I'd gone so quiet?

After one last look up at the falls, I unclasped my hands. I told myself it was time to head back, but I was still reluctant to turn away from the view. Before coming to Mt. Nachi, I was looking forward to seeing the waterfall. By the time I left, even that unhurried time in front of the falls had become a precious memory.