Abe Great Falls, Waterfall in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, Japan

Abe Great Falls is a single-drop waterfall on the upper Abe River in northern Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, near the Umegashima onsen resort. It falls about 80 m with a width of roughly 4 m, and in times of high water it forms a heavy, continuous curtain of falling water.

The falls appear in the 1990 list of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls, published by the Environment Agency, the predecessor of today's Ministry of the Environment. The same recognition is often cited for the Abe River's other falls, such as Akamizu Falls, which some consider comparable in scale.

The falls are also known as Suruga Great Falls and Otome Falls, alternative names recorded alongside Abe-no-Ōtaki. The Abe River system around them holds many other waterfalls, among them Koigataki, Onsen'yutaki, Sandan-no-taki, Akamizu-no-taki and Fudo-no-taki, so visitors can tour several falls in one area; Akamizu-no-taki, though seen from a distance, is described as comparable in scale.

From the "Abe-no-Otaki Entrance" bus stop on Route 29, just below Umegashima onsen, a trail leads about 1.2 km one way, crossing a suspension bridge, with roughly 45 minutes needed each way. By bus, take the Shizutetsu Just Line bound for Umegashima onsen from Shizuoka or Shin-Shizuoka Station and walk about 30 minutes from the stop. Free parking is available in the onsen town.

The waterfall sits near Umegashima onsen resort, letting visitors combine waterfall viewing with traditional hot spring bathing. This pairing means you can enjoy both nature and relaxation during a single outing.