The Rock Garden: Ayahiro Falls

The Rock Garden trail is a 1.5-kilometer loop along a moss-covered valley stream on Mount Mitake, connecting Ayahiro Falls and Nanayo Falls. A wooden torii gate and shimenawa rope mark Ayahiro Falls as sacred ground, and priests and pilgrims come here to practice takigyo, meditating beneath the cold cascade as a form of spiritual cleansing. This ritual requires guidance and specific prayers, and some guesthouses on the mountain offer it as a morning experience for guests. On the trail toward the falls, look for Tengu Rock, an outcropping shaped like the long-nosed goblin of Japanese folklore said to guard the forests.