Doryū Falls
If this scene speaks to you, prints and downloads are available:
Capturing Doryū Falls: A Dragon’s Flow in the Yatsugatake Highlands
八ヶ岳の秘境、川俣川に流れる「吐竜の滝」を訪ねて
The Kawamata River (川俣川・Kawamata-gawa) flows eastward from near the peak of Mt. Gongen (権現岳・Gongen-dake) before turning south, covering a total length of about 14 km (8.7 mi).
The river winds through the lush Kawamata Gorge, where, about halfway along its course, you can find the beautiful Doryū Falls (吐竜の滝・Doryū-no-Taki) cascading into the river.
The name “Doryū” (吐竜) combines the characters 吐 (to exhale or drool) and 竜 (dragon). Literally translated, it means “Dragon’s Drool Falls.” The name comes from the sight of thin, silky streams of water flowing gracefully over moss-covered rocks, evoking the image of a dragon’s breath or drool as abundant underground water from the Yatsugatake Mountains emerges from the rocks and feeds into the river.
While “dragon drool” might sound a bit unsettling in English, the opposite is true in Japanese mythology. Dragons are benevolent water deities strongly associated with rain, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
This symbolism is often seen at Shinto shrines, where the spouts of purification fountains (手水舎・temizuya) are shaped like dragon heads. Many Shinto shrines near bodies of water even enshrine dragons as their main deity.
In Buddhism as well, dragons are regarded as protectors of the Buddha and guardians of Buddhist law. This association is reflected in the frequent use of the old character for dragon (龍; ryū—the predecessor of 竜) in the names of many Buddhist temples throughout Japan.
Although I’m overall satisfied with how my photos turned out (especially considering they were shot handheld), I’d love to revisit Doryū Falls again before sunrise to capture the scene in warmer light. Next time, I plan to use my tripod, and maybe an ND filter, for longer exposures to achieve a silkier flow of the water.
It would also be rewarding to visit after a rainfall to photograph the increased water volume, or in autumn when the surrounding foliage transforms into brilliant shades of yellow and orange.
Location: Hokuto, Yamanashi Pref., Japan
Timestamp: 2025/08/27・14:47
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/500 sec. at ƒ/5.6
References:
