Komenoko Falls, Waterfall in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Komenoko Falls is a waterfall in the Tsuruoka area of Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, dropping roughly 30 meters (about 100 feet) straight down a rocky cliff in a single unbroken stream. It sits right beside Route 112, so the full drop is visible from the road without any long walk.
The Tsuruoka area has been a center of mountain worship for centuries, with monks following ascetic practices in the hills nearby. The falls became a familiar landmark as the road through this part of Yamagata was developed and travelers began passing through regularly.
The name Komenoko can be read as "child of rice flour" or "child's neck" in Japanese, and locals connect it to the shape of the falling water. People from the surrounding villages sometimes stop here during drives along Route 112 to take in the sound and the view.
The falls are right beside the road and require no trail or climb to see, making them one of the easier stops in the area. Water flow is strongest after rain, so the sight and sound are more powerful on days following wet weather.
A drive-in rest stop named after the falls sits right beside it, giving drivers a clear view of the water from their parking spot. Parking there is free and fits around a hundred cars, which makes it unusually easy to stop for a natural sight of this scale.
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