Tsukechi Gorge, Canyon in Tsukechicho, Japan.
Tsukechi Gorge is a granite canyon in Tsukechicho, Japan, where a river runs through deep rock walls and drops over several waterfalls into pools below. A walking path follows the riverbed through the gorge, passing close to the rock faces and the water fed by snowmelt from Mt. Ontake.
The granite rock of the gorge formed over millions of years through volcanic activity in the region. Over time, river water wore into the rock and gradually shaped the deep riverbed that is visible today.
The forests around the gorge have supplied timber for traditional temples and palaces across Japan for centuries. Walkers passing through the area can still see old trees prized for the quality of their wood.
The gorge is best visited in the warmer months when the paths along the riverbed are easy to walk. Getting there involves a train ride to Nakatsugawa followed by a local bus to the gorge entrance.
The water in the gorge is clear enough to see straight through to the riverbed in calm light. This comes from the fact that the water flows directly from Mt. Ontake with very little contact with sediment along the way.
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