It's like the world of Princess Mononoke! Valley of moss and light “TheAkame48Falls”

[What is TheAkame48Falls?]

Hello, this is Koshi Iguchi.
This time, we will introduce how to photograph TheAkame48Falls Falls, which is a representative waterfall in Mie Prefecture and one of the most sacred places for moss in Japan.

Speaking of TheAkame48Falls, it is a valuable spot that has been selected as one of Japan's 100 best waterfalls and 100 best forests for forest bathing, and the green world covered in moss has an atmosphere reminiscent of the forest in Princess Mononoke. have.

I'm sure many of you who live in Mie Prefecture have already been there, but with the current coronavirus pandemic making it difficult to travel outside the prefecture, why not take a closer look at Mie's famous spots?

At the end of the article, we will introduce restaurants where you can have a delicious lunch, so please read until the end.

[Location/Access]

Approximately 45 minutes by car from Ueno IC on the Meihan National Highway.
By public transportation, you can get there in about 10 minutes by bus from Akameguchi Station on the Kintetsu Osaka Line.

If you go by car, there are plenty of parking lots around TheAkame48Falls, so don't worry.
Basically, you can park at any parking lot for around 500 yen, but the price may rise slightly during high seasons (Obon, etc.).

If you are going by public transportation, please be careful about the return bus time.
The last bus time is 15:45 on weekdays and 16:45 on weekends and holidays.
*Operation status as of August 2021.

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There are promenades throughout the area, but the whole area is very slippery and there are some places where footing is difficult, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
If you have trekking shoes, I think it will be much easier to walk in them.

Since it is a tourist destination, you can visit with your family with small children, but it will take about 2 hours each way to visit all the waterfalls, so how far you can go depends on the physical strength of the participants. Please consult and decide!
Of course, you can also enjoy the area within a 30-minute walk!

Please be aware that if you go a little further into Akame Valley, you will be in an area where there is no cell phone coverage.
There are also not that many restrooms, so if you see one, we recommend going early.

[Recommended period]

The recommended seasons are summer and autumn.
Akame Valley is located deep in the mountains of Nabari, so the temperature is lower than in the flatlands even in summer! Therefore, it is perfect for getting away from the heat.

Also, in the summer, the sun is at a higher altitude, making it easier for light to filter into waterfalls and valleys, making it ideal for taking photos.
If you're lucky, you might even see the rays of light.

We also recommend visiting on a day after the rain. This is because the amount of water has increased and you can enjoy the impressive waterfall! However, the footing is poor and slippery, so be careful.

I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't been able to take photos in autumn under good conditions, so I borrowed some photos from my friend Nishiguchi!

Click here for Nishiguchi's photo

[Target weather and time]

·weather
I think the best weather to aim for is ``sunny'' or ``lightly cloudy.''​
If the light is too strong, the contrast between brightness and darkness becomes too strong, which can cause overexposure.

·time
During the summer, the sun's altitude rises, making it easier for light to enter the mountain, so it's a good idea to start climbing from around 10 o'clock.

If you're aiming for the rays of light, you might be able to see them if you go when the park opens on a day when the humidity is over 90%, such as after a rain.
Please give it a try!

[Preparation for shooting]

Be sure to bring the following items to take great photos.

·lens
Akame Falls is relatively close to the promenade, so I think it would be a good idea to have a wide-angle to standard-range lens.
My recommendation is a standard 24-70mm (35mm equivalent) lens.
By the way, the lens I used this time is GF32-64mm (equivalent to 25-51mm).

·tripod
It is no exaggeration to say that it is a necessity when photographing waterfalls and valleys, and since TheAkame48Falls is entirely covered with trees, there are many places that are dark even during the day. Therefore, be sure to bring it with you to avoid blurring.

・C-PL filter
This is also essential for taking beautiful pictures of waterfalls and valleys!
It has many beneficial effects, such as enhancing the greenery of the valley and reducing overexposure.
You can also obtain a slight light reduction effect by attaching a C-PL filter. Therefore, you can use longer shutter speeds without using an ND filter.

[Points for shooting]

As I always write in my articles, when shooting, use "A mode (aperture priority)" to avoid mistakes.
A mode is a revolutionary mode that automatically determines the shutter speed (SS) by simply determining the F value and ISO sensitivity.

When I first started using cameras, I tried my best to shoot in M mode (manual), but deciding on SS was the most difficult thing to do, and I ended up producing a lot of unsatisfactory photos.
However, by using A mode, I no longer have to worry about SS, and the percentage of missing photos has decreased significantly!
Even now, I take about 99% of my daytime photos in A mode.

The introduction is long, but I would like to explain the settings.

・F value
Regarding the F value, let's set it at around 8 to 16. If you make it larger, you can focus on a wider area, but the SS will be longer. This may cause the tree to shake or the water to flow too much, so change it depending on the situation.
I think it's a good idea to set it to 11 for now, even if you don't really understand the details!

・ISO sensitivity
Next is ISO sensitivity. Basically, 100 to 400 is recommended. If you raise it too high, the photo will look grainy and have a lot of noise.
If you really want to make it brighter, it may be a good idea to set the upper limit to 800.

Let's find the perfect SS for the photo while setting the F value and ISO sensitivity within the above range.

[Points for shooting]

``Photograph not only waterfalls, but also valleys.''​

When you go to TheAkame48Falls to take pictures, you usually go there with the waterfall in mind.
However, it is not enough to just look at the waterfall!

TheAkame48Falls has a very high potential as a valley.
As I mentioned at the beginning, this is one of Japan's most sacred moss sites, reminiscent of the world of Princess Mononoke. It would be a waste to pass through such a valley and only take pictures of the waterfall!

Also, if you only take photos of the waterfall, the photos may all look similar, but if you take photos of the valley, you can take many original compositions.

Honestly, this is what I want to convey most in this article.
I think many people already know that Akame Falls is amazing, but I think that the charm of the valley is still not well known. I hope that more people will learn about the natural beauty of this valley with beautiful moss and clear water, and that TheAkame48Falls will become one of Japan's leading tourist destinations.

This is a long introduction to TheAkame48Falls, but this concludes it.

Next, we will introduce recommended restaurants near TheAkame48Falls.

[Na Mikuriya]

​Mikuriya Sai is about 10 minutes by car from TheAkame48Falls.
This is a hidden cafe located in a quiet residential area where you can enjoy elaborate lunches and cakes.

Business hours: 11:00-16:00
Business days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

It's not just the hamburger that's delicious, but the small dishes that come with it are all carefully prepared, one by one, and the rice is black rice and the miso soup has plenty of toppings, so it's large enough for a man!

Also, the plates used for each dish were all beautiful, and I felt the owner's care.

The interior of the restaurant is very stylish and has a calm atmosphere, so you can enjoy your meal at your leisure.

I actually wanted to have dessert, but I was too full from lunch, so I'll have to try it another time.

【summary】

Thank you for reading until the end.
I would be happy if some people read this article and want to go to `` TheAkame48Falls'' or ``Mikurina.''

The weather is already changing to autumn, and the green season is just around the corner, so be careful not to miss any photos!

See you again in the next article.

Click here for Koshi Iguchi's previous article↓
Sekijuku, a townscape from the Edo period that remains in Kameyama

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