Daigo Light 2026: Fukuroda Falls Lit Through the Winter
You reach the falls through a tunnel, and in winter the tunnel itself is part of the show.
Overview
Fukuroda Falls in Daigo is counted among the three great waterfalls of Japan, a nationally designated place of scenic beauty where the Takigawa river drops 120 metres over four tiers of rock, 73 metres wide. Its other name, Yodo no Taki, comes from the saying that you must see it once in each of the four seasons to know it.
Daigo Light is the town’s winter light-up: the observation tunnel is decorated first, and the falls themselves are lit in white, chosen to bring out the volume and depth of the water rather than to colour it.
When and where
The light-up runs annually from 1 November into mid-January – the previous edition ran to 12 January. In November the falls are lit from sunset to 20:00 and the light tunnel opens from 08:00; in December and January the falls are lit until 19:00 with the tunnel from 09:00.
The tourism association confirms the closing date each year, so check before a January visit.
Getting there
From Mito, the JR Suigun line reaches Fukuroda in around 70 minutes, then a bus of about 7 to 10 minutes to Takimoto and a 10-minute walk. By car it is roughly 60 minutes from the Naka interchange on the Joban expressway, with 260 free town car park spaces plus paid parking.
What to expect
Autumn colour first, then ice.
- Falls lit in white from sunset, seen from the first observation deck
- A decorated light tunnel leading to the falls, themed autumn at the entrance and winter deeper in
- Peak autumn colour usually around 10 November
- In hard winters the falls partly freeze into a hyobaku, an ice fall
- Access via a paid observation tunnel, around 500 yen for adults in the last edition
- A suspension bridge upstream with a different view of the gorge
Tickets and admission
Paid: the observation tunnel charges admission, around 500 yen for adults and 300 yen for children in the previous edition. The light-up itself carries no extra charge beyond the tunnel fee.
Tips for visitors
Weekends around mid-November are the busiest of the year, so go on a weekday if you can. January is the time for the frozen falls, but check conditions with the tourism association first – it does not freeze every year. It is genuinely cold in the gorge after dark, colder than the town, so overdress.
Access and map
| Dates | 1 November 2026 to mid-January 2027 (closing date confirmed by organiser) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Fukuroda Falls, Daigo, Ibaraki |
| Access | JR Fukuroda station, bus to Takimoto, 10 minutes on foot |
| Admission | Observation tunnel fee (about 500 yen for adults) |
| Official site | Daigo Tourism Association |
Source: Daigo Tourism Association
Image: Photo: TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
