The previous night I had hired a car, confident that this would be a fine day.  I headed off out the back of Nikko, up a very steep and winding road towards Lake Chuzenji.  Here, we are about two-thirds of the way up and the building is the station and restaurant for the Akechidaira Ropeway, which was closed at the time.

This is the view looking back towards Nikko, with various other conurbations in the distance.

On the left, the road crazily zigzags up the mountain, while in the distance there are many barriers on the mountainside, presumably to prevent erosion.  In the valley there are waterfalls over a succession of weirs, presumably for flood control.

Looking further up, here is the horizon, a stitched panorama of many images.  You can see a much larger view by clicking on the image.

Having arrived at the top, it was a very short drive to the entrance for Kegon Falls.  Access is particularly easy because there’s actually a lift (that’s probably elevator in American) that goes down to various platforms at the bottom of the valley.  The falls are nearly 100 metres high, so the drop for the lift is greater.  It being winter, the falls were partly frozen and partly flowing.  This is looking towards the base of the falls from one of the lower platforms.

Across the valley, there was some nice light on some trees on a ridge (looks better in the larger view with the black background if you click on it).

At the bottom of the falls, the water picks its way down a rocky slope.

Water and icicles.

Frozen and unfrozen waterfalls.

Ice, rocks and water below the bottom of the falls.

A lone tree across the valley.

The top of the falls, from a long way away and a long way below.

These are basalt columns caused by volcanic activity.  The waterfall itself results from a barrier after a volcanic eruption which I surmise must have created or enlarged Lake Chuzenji.

A steep water schute near the viewing platforms, on the other side to the waterfall.

An overall view of the waterfall.  The light’s not really optimal but wasn’t able to wait for the sun to come around.