Seven Waterfall Pools of Tashiro

The waterfall is the general name for the seven pools scattered throughout the gorge of the Kamagawa River. Flowing out of the Mt. Naeba system, the river has a steep, vertical left bank and a right bank where the stratigraphic layers can be seen, an extremely unusual landscape in academic geological terms. A legend about the pools has been handed down in which a man breaks his promise to the goddess Benten and casts a net into the water. This act angers the large snake who is the master of the pools and who kills the man. In order to view the pools, visitors must walk down into the gorge along a steep path, so they should exercise caution. Every year in mid-July, the city of Tokamachi observes a seasonal tradition, the “Seven Pools Festival,” with performances of a traditional local stage art, Tashiro Kagura.