Summers in Japan are hot and humid so heading to a river to splash around or take a swim is one of the best ways to cool down and stay sane. Unfortunately, though there are plenty of rivers around it can be really difficult to find a safe swimming spot with clean water, parking and that’s suitable for all ages. However, the Senjokawara swimming spot on the Kikuchi river in northern Kumamoto has all of these and more.
Where is Senjoukawara Swimming Spot ?
About an hour’s drive from Kumamoto City, Senjoukawara is a spot on the Kikuchi river half way between Kikuchi town and Kikuchi Gorge. From Kikuchi town follow the signs to Kikuchi Gorge, after driving around 15 minutes you will pass some giant grapes and then a road sign with a kangaroo on. Not long after this you will see a small Eneos gasoline stand, just before this there is a right turn. Take the right turn and you will immediately see you are driving alongside the river. Pass a traditional onsen hotel called Iwakura Ryokan and keep going. A couple of hundred metres later you will see some cedar trees and a small footbridge across the river. This is a really good swimming spot too however, currently the bridge and parking area is closed up with strict warnings to keep out and you cannot swim there. Keep driving along the road a few more minutes and you will come to a broad and shallow bend in the river. If it’s a sunny day on a weekend there will probably be cars parked along the road too. Look out for this sign on your left.
If you drive down the small road on your left you will pass a small cafe which sells kakigori (crushed flavoured ice) and a public toilet, just after that is a free carpark. On busy days many people park on the roadside at the top, if you do this just be careful not to block anyone’s driveways.
The swimming spot
The great thing about the Senjokawara swimming spot is that it covers a wide area so even if there are a lot of people there it doesn’t feel busy. The wide bend in the river has a broad shelf of pyroclastic flow. Cool, clear water flows over this natural stone pavement. In places this forms shallow pools and is a great place for small children to paddle and play safely.
The wide shelf of volcanic rock breaks along the far side making small waterfalls and deeper, faster moving water. This is where you can go to jump off the rocks and swim properly. After rain the current can be fast so of course pay attention to the river conditions and don’t go alone.
Past this jumping spot the river widens and calms down, there’s a small gravelly beach and then a wider calmer section where you can swim. Don’t go all the way to the end of this though as at the end is the Sansan waterfall you see below, which is definitely not a jumping spot. You can walk along the path by the river to see the falls.
There’s some good drone footage of Senjokawara here.
Travel tips
Senjokawara is only accessible by car.
Watch out if you use Google maps to get there it might send you across the river and down a very narrow road through rice fields (it did that to me!) so keep the river on your left side and just keep driving until you see the sign.
Sakura trees are planted along the riverbank so a lovely place for hanami in spring too.
You can babrbecue there just remember to clean up and take everything home.
Bird watchers also visit year round, one I met told me birds of prey hunt around the waterfall.
Watch out for the current, if you feel it is dragging you away swim to the sides where the flow is weaker and shallower.