Onogawa Fudo Falls
Onogawa Fudo, fed by nearby Hyakkan Shimizu spring, is a large waterfall, 6,000 tons of water a day dropping 25 meters. Since the Heian period (794–1185), the falls have been a source of sacred water and a training ground for practitioners of Shugendo, a Japanese folk religion based on mountain worship that involves enduring extreme physical hardships. Practitioners came here to worship Buddhist deity Fudo Myo-o, and to pray under the icy cold waters of the falls. There is a small, modern shrine near the waterfall.
Onogawa Fudo is surrounded by a forest of Japanese horse chestnut, wingnut, and oak.
The cool mist of the waterfall makes it a popular spot to rest in summer. In winter, the falls freeze and look light blue, and can be accessed on snowshoes and with the assistance of a guide.