FLM SCN: The 48 Waterfalls of Akame

Last spring, fed up with the concrete and wonky trees with stunted branches of the city, a friend and I went on a quest to Mie to see the 48 waterfalls of Akame. With two rolls of color film and my Canon A-1, we went on an adventure that went something like: cherry blossoms, giant salamanders, fart-cakes, waterfalls, and more cherry blossoms.

After a nearly two hour train/bus ride we arrived. 

In the middle of cherry blossom season, the air was still cool in the shade. 

The verdant green soothed my suburbanite soul.

To enter the hiking grounds, there is a 300 yen fee which includes entrance to the Nihon Salamander Center. Basically it is a bunch of tanks filled with creepy giant salamanders with weird beady eyes. I took a picture with my iPhone only because it's eyes were freaky. After judging, or being judged by (?) the giant salamanders with beady eyes, we were given a fine proposition; whether or not to indulge in the fart-cakes.

A little old woman leaned out from her booth and invited us to try the local delicacy. Taunted with the sweet smell of he-koki manju (fart-inducing cakes!), we gave in and each got manju, which were made with sweet-potatoe batter and filled with red-beans. A delicious start to our adventure...or would we regret it later?!

Akame literally means "red-eyes," referring to the red-eyed ox ridden by the god of fire, Fudo-myoo in a ancient legend. Obviously, I didn't take photos of all 48 falls, because some were tiny and who wants to see 48 photos of waterfalls? I for one do not have the attention span. I have translated (perhaps badly?) the meanings of these waterfall's poetic names into English. 

霊蛇滝 Rejya-daki. Faucet of spirits, guys. THIS is where the ghosts come from.

不動滝 Fudou-daki. The waterfall of immobility, or perhaps real estate? 

千手滝　Sen te-daki. The waterfall of a thousand hands.

Violet, you're turning, VIOLET!

布曳滝 Nunobiki-daki. Wrung out towel waterfall.

荷担滝　Ninai-daki. Waterfall of support...or conspiracy?!

雛壇滝　Hinadanno-taki. Tiered doll stand waterfall. Looks like a shelf, kinda.

MMMMmmmm, basalt columns...

On our way back to the station, we climbed up a steep hill to Enjyu-In, the temple of longevity. 

We were so lucky to catch the 350 year-old sakura tree in full bloom. 

The Akame waterfall area was also used for training of ninjas, apparently. I'm not really interested in being a ninja, but there are costume rentals if you are so inclined.

Get out of your house, go hiking!

〒518-0469 Mie Prefecture, Nabari 赤目町長坂861-1