Kuroyama Santaki is the generic name of the three waterfalls located in Ogose-machi, Iruma-gun, Saitama Prefecture. The waterfalls are selected as one of Japan’s 100 Fine Waterfalls.
The three waterfalls include the Tengu Waterfall, the Otaki (male) Waterfall and the Metaki (female) Waterfall. The largest is the Tengu waterfall with the height of 20 meters. Being a little away from the other two waterfalls, it flushes down gallantly in a straight form. The name “Tengu” derives from the legend that a tengu used to lived in this holy mountain.
The Otaki and Metaki waterfalls compose one staircase waterfall in a zigzag flow. The Otaki has 10 meters in height and the Metaki 5 meters. Each has the plunge pool and flows down in unity. The Otaki Waterfall has a firm appearance while the Metaki Waterfall looks elegant.
The waterfalls are open to public on the 1st Sunday in July, when the opening ceremony is held by a shrine priest, shrine maidens, a Buddhist priest, mountain practitioners and “Tengu,” for the mountain has been the training ashram for Shugendo (mountain practice) since the ancient times. The waterfalls look especially beautiful when they are surrounded with fresh green in spring and red foliage in fall.