Sawanobori is a crazy dangerous, crazy fun, outdoor adventure sport. It’s not the kind of thing anyone really “falls” into or does by accident, so I wanted to share my journey to getting involved in it.
I technically got my start in sawanobori as a college student. I had always enjoyed going outside, camping, hiking, etc., so after seeing an excellent NorthFace mini-documentary on sawanobori, I was sold. Lucky for me, I went to college in Ithaca, NY which has some phenomenal waterfalls.
Though not a traditional scene for sawanobori, Ithaca waterfalls taught me a great many things. How to feel the rock, how to identify different types of moss, how to read currents, and when to be cautious. I learned how to take risks, how to lead, and maybe most importantly, how to fall (I still have some scars from this…). I learned all this with $15 Crocs-brand water shoes and a $30 waterproof sack which were a far cry from the gear I have now, but it all primed me to be ready for climbing waterfalls in Japan.
Probably the most important thing I learned was how to evaluate sources about waterfall climbing. There is virtually no information about climbing waterfalls in Upstate NY, so it felt a bit more like a wild west than Japan where, as long as you speak Japanese, there are many sources. Websites like NYfalls.com have excellent, though at times outdated, information on hiking creeks and streams in NY, and I learned to be resourceful and evaluate the information I would need to get out on a new route.
I moved out to Japan in 2022 for reasons unrelated to waterfall climbing, though it remained in the back of my head the whole time. It wasn’t until 2024 when I had a chance encounter with a friend of a friend at a board game night who, it turned out, was quite the sawanobori enthusiast. He generously volunteered to take myself and another on our first beginner route.
I went to buy gear the night before which was a bit sus. My friend/guide was very thoughtful but favored being over-prepared. He sent me to Mont-bell with a laundry list of new items that I thought were absolute musts. Having just finished my graduate work, I was strapped for cash and ended up only buying smattering of items including the top half a wet suit (which you don’t really need) and wool socks instead of neoprene (which you actually should definitely get). I’ll provide a deeper discussion about my gear in the gear section, but navigating those isles were themselves an adventure.
My first route ended up being Manaizawa (真名井沢）in Okutama which was an interesting choice given its length for a beginner. There are several routes in Okutama or Tanzawa which give the same level of excitement with lower time commitment, but either way I had a blast. The day went off without any hitches, and I was sold from there.
After my first trip, I essentially began leading my own routes, scouting information, securing buddies, and guiding other equally beginner folks through amazing waterfalls. Though I haven’t yet joined a mountaineering club or 山岳会, it’s something I think about often, and may be a topic of a future post.
I continue to learn more about sawanobori and Japanese nature everyday. It’s a topic that doesn’t get old and always full of adventure.