Himukashi-no-taki Waterfall | Things To Do In Yoshino | Nara Tourism | Yumebushi Abyss | Visit Nara

Описание: Yumebuchi (夢淵) and Himukashi-no-taki or Hingashi-no-taki Fall (東の滝)

The Niukawakami-jinja shrine Nakasha may appear rather humble at first, but it in fact has the distinction of being the birthplace of Japanese wooden votive plaques, (ema in Japanese).
The word ema is made up of two Chinese characters;
絵 (e) which means "picture" and
馬 (ma) which means horse.

You have probably seen these ema plaques in one form or another at every single Shinto shrine you have ever visited and many Buddhist temples have also adopted the practice, too. But in case you are unfamiliar, ema are small wooden plaques consisting of a cute illustration on one side with a space on the opposing side to write one's wish. They are then hung up in a specified part of the shrine or temple complex. That sounds straight forward enough, but why are they literally called "horse pictures"?

That's a good question, and there is an equally good answer.

Niukawakami-jinja shrine Nakasha was founded in 675 during the reign of Emperor Tenmu, and was the object of regular imperial patronage through the early Heian period as one of the highest-ranked Shinto shrines in the country. Part of its importance for the country's rulers was that it enshrined the deity of water, Mizuhanome no Kami, to whom aristocrats and farmers alike offered rainmaking or rain-stopping prayers.

In those days, the amount of rainfall through a particular season had a profound impact on society. Not enough and the crops wilted, too much and the valleys flooded. When the imperial court would attend the shrine and pray for rain, a black horse was used as part of the ritual. To pray for the rain to stop and especially if flooding was a concern, prayers were conducted with a white horse as part of the ceremony.

It is believed that plaques developed over time to represent these basic facets of prayer and further came to be used as a way for the layman to leave his wishes at the shrine for priests to pray for on his behalf. Nowadays, they make up a fun and somewhat frivolous part of a visit to a shrine or temple, but the fact they still remain in use today is a testament to their symbolic power and the realization that one's dreams may after all lie in the lap of the gods.

Access:

Address: 968 Omura, Higashi-Yoshino Village, Yoshino District, Nara
Tel: 0746-42-0032
Website: https://niukawakami-jinja.jp/
Hours: 8:30am – 4:30pm everyday

Yumebuchi Abyss
On the east side of Niukawakami-jinja Shrine Nakasha, there is a deep pool (abyss) called “Yumebuchi” or "Dream Abyss." This is where the three rivers of Takami, Shigo and Hiura meet. When Emperor Jinmu subjugated Yamato, he sank a bottle of sake into Yumebuchi, and if a drunken fish floated to the surface the next morning, it was said to be a sign of victory.

Himukashi-no-taki Waterfall
Less than a 5-minute walk from the Niukawakami-jinja Shrine Nakasha, located just behind Yumebuchi is a sacred waterfall called "Himukashi-no-taki Waterfall."

To access it, you must first cross a small yet majestic red suspension bridge known as "The Bridge of Dreams (Yumehashi). This will lead you down a small mountain path to the tiny red bridge you can see in the picture above. This tiny bridge crosses just in front of the plunge pool.

This sacred waterfall is demarcated with a shimenawa (Shinto wreath) and is said to be home to a dragon god. It is here where pilgrims throw a Ryūtama Ball (龍玉) into the whirlpool below the waterfall in hope of receiving good luck from the dragon.

The area is also popular with hikers, campers, fishermen, and those in search of the ultimate autumn foliage shot.

Access:
Address: Omura, Higashi-Yoshino, Yoshino District, Nara 633-2431, Japan

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