HARAJIRI FALLS / Bungo-Ono City

Bungo–Ono City in Southern Oita Prefecture is characterised by its lush greenery, and is surrounded by the Kuju mountain range (Mount Aso, Mount Sobo and Mount Katamuki), with the Ono River, the largest in the prefecture, flowing through its centre. The entire city is certified as a Japanese National Geopark, known as ‘Oita Bungoono Geopark’.

As you drive through the countryside, a spectacular waterfall will suddenly catch your eye. This is the famous Harajiri Falls, which is 120 m wide and 20 m high, and is often referred to as the ‘Niagara of the East’. The waterfall was formed when pyroclastic flows from a massive eruption from the Aso Volcano about 90,000 years ago cooled and solidified, before being gradually eroded away by the river flow over a long period of time.

There is a promenade around the falls, and the suspension bridge ‘Takimi Bridge’ offers a direct view of the falls. An adjustable bridge that submerges when water levels rise was also built upstream, enabling visitors to cross the upper part of the falls by car or on foot. Circling the falls via these bridges, visitors can appreciate the marvellous scenery from various viewpoints.