Shiraito Falls

Shiraito Falls in Karuizawa is a waterfall about 3 meters high and 70 meters wide. The water is spring water that wells up from the rock face—making it an artificial waterfall that uses that spring water. Because it is not directly affected by natural conditions like rainfall, it maintains a beautiful appearance without the water becoming muddy or the flow surging. The “Karuizawa Shiraito Falls Illumination,” held typically from late July to late August on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and during the Obon period, lights up the falls, making them glow fantastically in the darkness of the surrounding forest. This illumination—maximizing both nature and human design—is breathtaking, and its beauty is so highly regarded that it has been registered as a “Japan Night View Heritage” site. With the recent boom in solo travel and encouragement to avoid crowds during the COVID-19 era, it is also visited by many solo female travelers as a power spot. If you need a break from work, consider resetting both mind and body by soaking in the negative ions of nature.