Hello, this is _hiroyuki.ta. This time, I would like to introduce Jinba Falls in Shizuoka Prefecture, which I toured by motorcycle from central Tokyo. Jinba Falls is a waterfall with a height of approximately 30 meters located at the southern foot of Mt. Fuji, and has been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls. This waterfall was created by a clear stream of melted snow from Mt. Fuji carving into the rock surface, giving it the appearance of a white horse rushing down. We will introduce the touring route and highlights to Jinba Falls.
What is Jinba Falls?
Jinba Falls is a tourist spot rich in nature located in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture. This waterfall is located in the Inokashira area at the southern foot of Mt. Fuji, on a plateau at an altitude of approximately 1,000 meters. This area is known as a place where you can enjoy the natural beauty of Mt. Fuji, and is also close to Lake Tanuki and Shiraito Falls. Jinba Falls is one of the most popular and visited by many tourists and photographers.
Jinba Falls was created by a clear stream of melted snow from Mt. Fuji carving into the rock surface, giving it the appearance of a white horse running down the mountain. Therefore, it is also called “Hakuba Falls”. This waterfall is about 30 meters high and about 7 meters wide, making it very impressive. Especially from spring to summer, the amount of water is so high that you get splashed. In addition, the autumn leaves add beautiful color to the area.
Route to Jinba Falls
You can take a motorcycle tour to Jinba Falls from central Tokyo. I set out on my beloved Harley-Davidson FLSB Sport Glide. The route is introduced below.
First, enter Hakozaki IC from Hakozaki Minatobashi Dori and take Shuto Expressway Route 6. From Shuto Expressway Route 6, transfer to the Shuto Expressway City Loop Line at Edobashi JCT. From the Shuto Expressway Inner Loop Line, transfer to the Shuto Expressway No. 4 Shinjuku Line at Miyakezaka JCT. Take the Chuo Expressway from the Shuto Expressway No. 4 Shinjuku Line.
After driving about 70 kilometers on the Chuo Expressway, take a branch toward Lake Kawaguchi at Otsuki JCT. Exit the Chuo Expressway at Kawaguchiko IC and enter National Route 139. After driving approximately 9 kilometers on National Route 139, turn left onto Prefectural Route 71. After driving approximately 13 kilometers on Prefectural Route 71, turn right onto Prefectural Route 414. After driving approximately 2.5 kilometers on Prefectural Route 414, turn right and arrive at your destination, Jinba Falls.
This route allows you to travel smoothly using expressways such as the Shuto Expressway and the Chuo Expressway. However, some people may not be able to fully enjoy the charm of motorcycles on the highway. For such people, we also recommend routes around Mt. Fuji using public roads such as National Route 20 and National Route 246. On this route, you can enjoy the view of Mt. Fuji and the natural scenery while riding. However, it may take some time on public roads due to traffic jams and traffic lights, so it is important to check the time and distance in advance.
Highlights of Jinba Falls
When you arrive at Jinba Falls, first head to the observation deck where you can get a panoramic view of the falls. From the observation deck, you can clearly see the waterfall’s water volume, drop, and the shape of the rock surface. You may also be able to see Mt. Fuji from the observation deck. The contrast between Mt. Fuji and Jinba Falls is breathtaking. From the observation deck, there are stairs that lead down to the basin of the waterfall. There are about 200 steps, but there are rest areas along the way, so please walk slowly.
The closer you get to the basin of the waterfall, the stronger the splashing and sound of the water becomes. From the basin of the waterfall, you can feel the power of the waterfall up close. Splashing water is cool and pleasant, but you may get wet, so be careful. Also, the area around the waterfall basin can be slippery, so please be careful with your shoes and feet. From the basin of the waterfall, you can also walk upstream. There are small waterfalls and mountain streams upstream. You can take a walk while enjoying the sounds and scenery of nature.
Jinba Falls motorcycle parking lot
Jinba Falls does not have a dedicated parking lot for motorcycles, but you can park your motorcycle in the parking lot for cars. Parking is free, but space is limited, so we recommend arriving early. From the parking lot, you can reach the observation deck in about 5 minutes on foot.
Summary
This time, I introduced Jinba Falls in Shizuoka Prefecture, which I toured by motorcycle from central Tokyo. Jinba Falls is a waterfall with a height of approximately 30 meters located at the southern foot of Mt. Fuji, and has been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls. This waterfall was created by a clear stream of melted snow from Mt. Fuji carving into the rock surface, giving it the appearance of a white horse rushing down. You can easily travel to this waterfall using expressways such as the Shuto Expressway and the Chuo Expressway, but we also recommend taking a route around Mt. Fuji using local roads. At this waterfall, you can take in the panoramic view from the observation deck, walk upstream from the basin, and enjoy the spray of water near the waterfall. Jinba Falls is a waterfall where you can feel the beauty and power of nature. Be sure to stop by when you’re touring by bike.
In this article, we introduced Jinba Falls in Shizuoka Prefecture, but Shizuoka Prefecture has many other attractive tourist spots. For example, Shiraito Falls and Lake Tanuki at the foot of Mt. Fuji, along with Jinba Falls, have been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls. Fujinomiya City also has facilities where you can learn about the history and culture of Mt. Fuji, such as the Mt. Fuji Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine and the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Center. Furthermore, Shizuoka Prefecture is also famous for its specialty products such as tea and mandarin oranges. As for tea, Shizuoka Prefecture boasts the largest production of green tea in Japan. When it comes to mandarin oranges, Unshu mandarin oranges from Shizuoka Prefecture boast the highest quality and taste in Japan. These specialty products also make great souvenirs and snacks.
The above is an article about Jinba Falls in Shizuoka Prefecture, which I toured by motorcycle from central Tokyo. I hope this article will be helpful to all bike lovers. Next time, I would like to introduce another touring spot. See you soon.
*Jinba Falls: Jinba Falls
