Located in the western part of Tokyo, Akigawa Valley is a spot where you can enjoy the great nature with its valleyes, waterfalls, and hot springs.
Let’s take a look at the highlights of Akigawa Valley!
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What makes Kawana Beach attractive
The starting point of Akigawa Valley was mentioned above as Ishifune-bashi Bridge, but the real attraction lies beyond that point.
There are more than 10 beautiful waterfalls in the area including Akigawa Valley and Hinohara Village. Among them, Hossawa Falls is the only one in Tokyo that has been selected as one of the 100 most famous waterfalls in Japan.
Hossa Falls can be accessed from the Hossa Falls Entrance, about another 10-minute bus ride from the Jyuriki bus stop mentioned above.
It takes about 20 minutes from the bus stop to the basin of the waterfall.
The trail is well maintained, so you can enjoy a pleasant stroll. Total length of the waterfall of about 60 meters and the lowest 23.3 meters can be seen from the promenade.
After a day of hiking, why not relax in a hot spring?
Take the bus back to Juriki and cross the Ishibune Bridge to find Seoto no Yu. The water is natural alkaline simple hot spring, and if you are short on time, there is a free footbath outside that is also recommended.
In addition to the hot spring, there is also a restaurant and a souvenir shop where you can purchase local sake, pickles, and soba noodles.
Restaurants and Resting Places
There are restaurants and rest areas near Ishibune Bridge and Hossawa Falls, respectively. Near Ishibune Bridge, there is a Japanese restaurant attached to Seoto no Yu, and there are several food stands near the bus stop.
Please note that “Shiki no Sato” near the Hossawa Falls walking trail is open only during lunch time. Hinohara Tofu Chitoseya is famous for its tofu made with clean Hinohara water, as well as its Unohana doughnuts.
Restrooms are located at the Seoto no Yu and at the entrance to the Hossawa Falls Trail.
Nearby Sightseeing Spots
If you have time, why not tour around Hinohara Village?
Hinohara Village is the only village in Tokyo except for the island areas, and in addition to the Hossawa Falls introduced earlier, there are many natural spots such as Kobe Iwa.
The Ninomiya Shrine Autumn Festival, usually held in September in Akiruno City, is commonly known as the “Ginger Festival.
It is said that eating ginger sold at stalls at the main festival will “prevent you from catching a cold” and “keep you healthy and rid you of bad luck for a year.
Location
The nearest station is Musashi-Itsukaichi Station, a little over an hour from Shinjuku Station via the Chuo Line.
From there, it is about 4 km to the Ishibunebashi Bridge area, the starting point of the valley, which takes about 10 minutes by bus or 50 minutes on foot.
The nearest bus stop is “Juurigi,” and buses run several times an hour from the Musashi-Itsukaichi Station bus stop #1.
The route is hilly and has no well-maintained sidewalks, so we recommend taking the bus.
See Also
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