Hello, this is _hiroyuki.ta. This time, I would like to introduce Awamata Falls in Chiba Prefecture, which I toured by bike from Tokyo. Awamata Falls is a waterfall with a height of approximately 30 meters that spans the Awamata River, a tributary of the Isumi River, and is said to be the most beautiful waterfall in the Yoro Valley. Water sprays from the basin of the waterfall, and the surrounding area is surrounded by lush greenery. You can enjoy the cool scenery in the summer, and you can see the autumn leaves in the fall. I will tell you about the bike touring to Awamata Falls.
Awamata Falls is a waterfall located in the Yoro Valley in Otaki Town, Isumi District, Chiba Prefecture. Yoro Valley is a valley carved by the Isumi River and its tributaries, and you can see waterfalls and rock formations of various sizes. Among them, Awamata Falls is an impressive waterfall with a height of about 30 meters and a width of about 10 meters, and has been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls. Water sprays from the basin of the waterfall, and sometimes rainbows appear. The area is surrounded by trees such as maples and maples, which are lush with greenery in the summer and colorful with autumn leaves in the fall. There is also an observation deck and promenade near the waterfall.
The origin of the name of Awamata Falls comes from the samurai group called the Awamata clan that lived in this area in the past. It is said that the Awamata clan fought with the Hojo clan and the Satomi clan during the Sengoku period, but the details are not known. Today, the ruins of the castle and graveyard remain.
Route to Awamata Falls
This time, I started from central Tokyo and entered the Shuto Expressway Route 9 Fukagawa Line via Suitengu Street and Sumida River Ohashi. I transferred from the Shuto Expressway No. 9 Fukagawa Line to the Shuto Expressway Wangan Line and crossed the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line. The Tokyo Bay Aqua Line is a road with a total length of about 15 kilometers that consists of an ocean part and an undersea part. On the ocean part, you can enjoy views of Tokyo Bay and Mt. Fuji, and on the underwater part, there is a tunnel with music and light displays. After passing through the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line, we entered the Chiba section (Metropolitan Area Central Expressway). In the Chiba section, I got off at Kisarazu Higashi IC. From Kisarazu Higashi IC, take National Route 410 and Prefectural Route 32 to Kiyosumi Yoro Line (Prefectural Route 81). From the Kiyosumi Yoro Line, I took Prefectural Route 178 and drove to Awamata Falls.
Overall, it was a comfortable ride, but there is a possibility of getting stuck in traffic on the Shuto Expressway and the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line, and on Prefectural Route 178, you need to be careful about the condition of the road surface and passing each other. Additionally, the road may be closed during the winter, so we recommend checking in advance.
Highlights of Awamata Falls
Awamata Falls has many spots where you can enjoy nature and scenery. When I visited, it was late summer, but the greenery was still bright. There was a lot of water in the waterfall, and the spray was refreshing. There are observation decks and promenades near the waterfall, so you can see the waterfall from various angles. You can see the entire waterfall from the observation deck, and you can get closer to the basin from the promenade. As you approach the basin of the waterfall, you will feel the spray of water on your face, which is also refreshing. Listening to the sound of the waterfall and the flow of water will soothe your soul.
There are other attractions around Awamata Falls. For example, Yoro Keikoku Park is about 1 km downstream from Awamata Falls. Here you can take a walk through the nature of Yoro Valley, enjoy barbecues and camping. The Yoro Valley Natural Recreation Forest is located about 2 kilometers upstream from Yoro Valley Park. Here you can enjoy forest bathing, hiking, and see small waterfalls and mountain streams. Furthermore, Otaki Castle is located about 3 kilometers away from Awamata Falls. Otaki Castle is a mountain castle built by the Satomi clan during the Sengoku period, and currently has a restored castle tower and museum. A must-see for history buffs.
Awamata Falls motorcycle parking lot
Awamata Falls has a parking lot called Awamata Falls Observatory Free Parking. You can use it for free here. There is space for about 30 cars, but it can get crowded on weekends and holidays. I went on a weekday, so I was able to park easily.
One thing to keep in mind when parking your bike is the condition of the road surface.
Summary
This time, I introduced Awamata Falls in Chiba Prefecture, which I toured by bike from Tokyo. Awamata Falls is said to be the most beautiful waterfall in Yoro Valley, and is a rare spot in Japan where you can see winter cherry blossoms and autumn leaves at the same time. The spray of the waterfall and the flow of water will soothe you, and there are other spots nearby where you can enjoy nature and history. I went with my favorite Harley-Davidson FLSB Sport Glide, and it was a comfortable ride. Awamata Falls is a recommended spot for motorcycle touring.
