Manainotaki Waterfall

Manai Falls is a spot within Takachiho Gorge, one of Kyushu’s representative scenic destinations. The gorge was formed when pyroclastic flows from Mt. Aso’s volcanic activity flowed in a belt-like shape along the Gokase River and then cooled rapidly. Selected as one of Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls, Manai Falls has a drop of about 17 meters. Takachiho Gorge features cliffs as high as 80 meters stretching about 7 km east–west, with multiple scenic points along the route; among them, Manai Falls is considered the iconic symbol of Takachiho Gorge. In summer, a limited-time light-up event is held. Access: by public transportation, from JR Hakata Station take the “Gokaze-go” highway bus (reservation required), 4 services/day, about 3.5 hours; from JR Kumamoto Station take special express buses “Aso-go / Takachiho-go” (reservation required), 2 services/day, about 3 hours; from JR Nobeoka Station take a local bus, about 1.5 hours; from JR Miyazaki Station a limited-period highway bus (reservation required) runs, about 2 hours 40 minutes. By car, about 1.5 hours from Kyushu Expressway “Matsubase IC” via Route 218, or about 40 minutes from Kyushu Chuo Expressway “Kurata IC” via Route 218.