What other travelers are saying about Nakatsu Gorge (Niyodo River)
Absolutely stunning location. The hike is worth every minute for the scenery you are surrounded by the whole way. Visited in mid summer and even though the general temperature was 37C, in the gorge with the river it was very cool and enjoyable.
Pictures can never do this place justice. One of a kind.
It's a nice place that locals like to visit for a picnic with a decent hike available if you want to see more of the gorge and waterfalls. Bring appropriate clothing and a towel if you want to jump in the water - looks very clean and has that distinctive blue colour.
A nice gorge with crystal clear water called "Niyodo blue".
The route was well made and easy to walk.
Don't miss the tall waterfall inside.
A car park was very limited.
You can do a small hike of around an hour way up. We went at the end of spring and it was good, also not hot at all. There wasn’t a single person so it felt even more natural. Once you reach the top you can go back through a road that takes 1/4 of the time.
Probably one of the best nature spots to visit in Japan. I went in the springtime in mid May and there were basically only several people on the trail. There are 5 spots that you will want to see which is depicted on the map on the left hand side when you go in. I went during a bright sunny day and there are quite a bit of stairs, some made of rocks so it could be quite slippery if it's wet or rainy.
I took my time and went to all 5 spots while taking a ton of pictures which took 2 hours total, including walking from and back to Nanokawa bus stop.
It is possible to get here with public transportation, just do your research first as busses do not run frequently in this area. Timetables also change depending if it's holiday or if it's the weekend.
Warning: The only washroom is at the entrance to Nakatsu Gorge so do your business first before heading in. There are also no vending machines along the hike so get a drink while you're at it.
