Walk behind a curtain of falling water
At a few waterfalls in Japan, a path runs behind the falling water, so you can stand in a hollow of the rock and look out through it like a curtain. In Japanese these are called urami no taki, or falls seen from behind. The rock behind the water is wet and slippery, so wear shoes with good grip, and expect to need a car for most of them.
A small waterfall in the hills of Daigo, northern Ibaraki, where you walk around behind the water to a statue of Kannon, a Buddhist figure of mercy, whom people pray to for a safe childbirth. The falls sit beside a soba noodle shop, so you can rest over a bowl afterwards. Daigo is also home to the much larger Fukuroda Falls, so the two make a good day together.
A low waterfall about 20 meters wide in the hills of northern Kumamoto, Kyushu, where a path runs behind the water and you look out through it at a blue pool. Entry is by advance online booking, and on holidays and other busy days you cannot get in without one. It is far from the big cities, so plan it as part of a trip to Kyushu.
A 40 m waterfall in the mountains of western Gunma, where the rock behind the water is hollowed out and a statue of Fudo Myoo, a fierce Buddhist guardian, stands inside. From the parking space it is about a 15-minute walk, and the forest road up is narrow and rough. Behind the falls, keep your own footing rather than leaning on the chain.
Its name means thunder falls, and it roars down in a river valley of northern Nagano, while a path takes you right behind the water so the sound surrounds you. It is a steep walk of about 6 minutes down from the parking lot. The path is closed in winter, usually from late November to late April.
A 15 m waterfall in the hills above Komoro, Nagano, with a statue of Fudo Myoo, a fierce Buddhist guardian, beside the water and a path behind it. When the water is low, you can pass behind the falls with little spray. It is about a 10-minute walk from the forest road, so you need a car.