Anmon Falls, Three-tiered waterfall in Nishimeya, Japan

Anmon Falls (Anmon no Taki) is a waterfall on the Anmon River in the Shirakami-Sanchi mountains of Nishimeya, Aomori Prefecture. It consists of three falls: the first is 42 m high, the second 37 m about 200 m downstream, and the third 26 m a further 160 m downstream. The numbering runs from upstream to downstream, the reverse of the usual order.

The falls sit within the Shirakami-Sanchi mountains, which were listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 1993, one of the first in Japan. That recognition put strict protections on the area and kept its old-growth beech forests largely free from development.

The name Anmon is written with the character for "dark", which some accounts say the Tsugaru domain chose instead of the neutral "Anmon" (安門) to make the falls seem less inviting to sightseers. The third fall is called morotaki, "the paired falls", because two streams merge into one drop. Sugae Masumi, who visited on 29 November 1796, described the falls and the life of the woodcutters in his travel text Yuki no Morotaki.

Reaching the falls requires a hike of roughly one hour from Aqua Green Village Anmon along marked forest trails. The terrain calls for sturdy footwear, and mountain weather can shift quickly, so dressing in layers is a good idea.

The falls close from mid-November to late April because of heavy snow and ice, limiting visits to the warmer half of the year. Arriving shortly after the reopening in spring, you may still find patches of snow sitting alongside the running water.