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Price: Free Mt. Fuji TIMES vol.9 2019 10 A lot of Mt. Fuji spring water gushes out of Tokaichiba Natsukari spring-fed area. In this area, clean water gushes out and the water is used by local people in their ordinary lives and agriculture. For instance the water is used for growing wasabi, one of the specialties of Tsuru. Because the water here is extraordinary pure, people living here think they should protect this area more actively. They hope more tourists from overseas will visit here. However, many tourists pass this area by and visit only Mt. Fuji area. So we’d like to introduce some spots that are worth visiting. This waterfall is near Tokaichiba Sta. and you can see it from the “Saeki Bridge”. It is said that Tahara Falls was made by the eruption of Mt. Fuji. Lava had built up through many years and made the interesting layers. Although almost all the layers used to be natural, some was repaired for the sake of safety in 1950s. Basho in Tsuru? In Edo period, Matsuo Basho, a Japanese haiku poet, stayed near this waterfall and wrote a haiku (a short poem of 17 syllables), “Ikioiari- korikieteha-takitsuuo”. When Basho composed this haiku, ice pillars must have begun to melt and spring must have been drawing near. There is a bronze statue of him and guideboard near the Saeki Bridge and you can learn more about this place. Furthermore, trees around this waterfall are beautiful in every season. Trains of Fujikyuko Line run behind the waterfall, so it is a good idea to take pictures of waterfall and train together. え江ど戸じ時だい代、まつ松お尾ば芭しょう蕉がこのたき滝のちか近くにたい滞ざい在し、「いきお勢ひありこおり氷き消えてはたき瀧つ津うお魚」とよ詠みました。このうた歌をよ詠んだとき、ひょう氷ちゅう柱がと溶けはじ始めはる春がおとず訪れはじめていたのでしょうね。たき滝しゅう周へん辺のきぎ木々もし四き季おり折おり々うつく美しく、ふ富じ士きゅう急こう行せん線がたき滝のはい背ご後をはし走っているのでしゃ写しん真におさ収めてみるのもよいでしょう。 Another famous waterfall in Tokaichiba Natsukari spring-fed area is “Taro/Jiro Falls”. Because this fall is in two rows, it looks like brothers. Why do we call it “Taro/Jiro Falls?” Long time ago, brother thieves Taro and Jiro were caught by villagers and they killed themselves from this fall. So we started calling one that Taro jumped off Taro Falls and another one Jiro Falls. In spite of this sad story, this twin waterfall is very beautiful. Challenge&Eat! There is a wasabi (Japanese horseradish) park in this area. Kikuchi wasabi farm grows wasabi by using natural spring water and sells souvenir that contain wasabi. Also, you can experience wasabi farm work in here. It takes 10 minutes from Higashikatsura Sta. to get to here on foot. Why don’t you visit here on your way to Mt. Fuji? (Edited and photos taken by Atsuya Koganezawa)