Day six of the field study – continued

We began exploring local ecotourism sites by visiting Nabegataki, a waterfall in Oguni town. This waterfall has gradually become a tourist destination in the past six or seven years. Part of this is due to the fact that a bottled green tea commercial was filmed here in the mid-2000s with the well-known kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo, who is better known for recently becoming involved in a brawl in a Tokyo bar.

The waterfall is located down a road that winds past a Shinto shrine, farmhouses, and an elementary school recently abandoned by the need to bus students to a single town school. In order to accommodate a growing number of visitors, the town has expanded the existing parking lot, and cleared some forest for a new lot, which is still under construction.

The existing parking lot

Newly constructed parking lot at Nabegataki

The retaining wall supporting the new parking lot

The path down to the waterfall is quite steep, and when it rains, it can become slippery and treacherous. So in the past people laid old rugs on the path so that people can walk on something more stable. This created a makeshift atmosphere that some must like and others must find tacky. Some students later complained in their fieldnotes about the unprofessional look of the old rugs on the path to such a beautiful natural spot. But this is what happens when tourism is not planned, but gradually arises.

Steep path covered with rugs, with retaining wall in background

The town has begun to replace this old path with stone stairs, a change that has necessitated cutting a number of large old trees. This has made the path less dark and mysterious and more safe and accessible. Whether this is change is positive or negative depends on one’s perspective.

Short new section of stairs

Stumps of trees removed

After a short walk downhill, during which the students stopped to take photos, we finally reached the falls, which create a curtain that one can walk behind to reach the opposite shore of the narrow river. A dozen or so other visitors were already behind or near the falls, or on their way up the path to their cars.

Looking down the path at the river below

Visitors about to climb the hill to the parking lot

The river

Students at the falls

The falls are particularly refreshing in the summer, but this day was not so hot to have us basking in the mist. Instead the students spent 30 minutes photographing each other in every conceivable pose and combination of friends. One student became obsessed with the moss on a rock and spent 10 minutes trying to get the perfect shot. Since there are no waterfalls like this in Singapore, it was a new experience for all of them, and by this time they had bonded with each other and wanted photos of their ever-closer friends.

Dr. Kohmoto enjoying the falls

Kairns near the falls

Students photographing… everything.

Fascinating mosses

Nabegataki falls

After nearly one hour at the falls, we departed for lunch.