Our 133rd entry in this blog is our trip to Shiraito Waterfall in Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan. This is everyone’s first time to see a waterfall in winter 🙂 And it was amazing. But before that, we rode a bus (with blue windows) that is why our view from inside is sooo blue.

The bus ride was quite long, but it did not reach an hour, so not to worry. It felt long because of the long winding roads that made me dizzy.

We finally arrived and we are so lucky it snowed! Yay! But not that much. Just enough for us to try an actual falling snow. We started walking, it was supposedly a short walk but we did baby steps since it was very slippery. Our shoes are so ordinary to deal with snow, hehe… We can easily slide and might fall in the river beside the path.

With just a short walk, we arrived already in front of the falls itself. We just stayed for a while and made some snowman. “Shiraito Waterfall (Shiraito no Taki), measuring three meters high and 70 meters wide, is located in the forests north of downtown Karuizawa. The mountain slopes above the waterfall contain a volcanic stratum on which groundwater flows before surfacing here. This explains why no river flows into the Shiraito Waterfall. Also, as only a small portion of the water flowing is rain water, the strength of the flow stays relatively constant independant of the weather.” – japan-guide.com/e/e6034.html

Despite being fairly remote, the Shiraito Falls area has a number of amenities. Across from the bus stop, you’ll find food stalls and markets selling hot food, drinks, and local goods. There’s also a restroom and a small seating area.

Shiraito no Taki literally means “the waterfall of white threads”, which aptly describes its appearance, as multiple streaks of water drape over the surface forming what seems like a white curtain.

The site is most beautiful in summer when the vegetation is lush; it is a somewhat popular destination for autumn colors around late October each year. The path leading up to the falls is well-maintained and easy to walk. A stream runs down from the main waterfall and along the side of the trail, making for a lovely walk to the main waterfall.

We stayed for a while to take selfies and played with the snow. A lot of people are starting to arrive, it can easily get crowded since the place is just small and the walking paths are narrow.

And more pictures from us before we head back down. Besides, we will still wait for the bus to take us back to the station so better enjoy more time in this lovely frozen waterfall. And that was our quick visit in Shiraito Waterfall, until next time. 🙂 Oh! And it is Christmas Day! Merry Christmas!