Wow Place #352: Takachiho Gorge, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan
Time and again, I’ve been tricked into thinking that a famous site isn’t nearly as good as its hype.
There was the time I arrived at the main gate of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, at 7am on a brisk January morning. Bleary eyed from a long, overnight train ride, I was convinced that the front gate where the taxi dropped me off actually WAS the Taj Mahal.
“Geez, this isn’t what I expected.”
It wasn’t until I traversed a tunnel in the entry building that I saw it hovering in the distance: the white-washed walls of the Taj Mahal, in all its glory.
“Okay, that’s more like it!”
Then there was the time in Petra, Jordan, when my tour guide took me up to the ticket gate, paid my entry fee and put me on a horse. From my saddle, looking around at the fairly-ordinary, reddish-brown cliffs, I thought to myself, “So this is Petra, huh? Meh! Definitely not what I was expecting.”
It wasn’t until we entered the narrow, winding crevasse leading to The Treasury (Al-Khazneh), a 40-meter-high monument tomb carved directly into the sandstone cliff face, that I concluded, “Okay, now I get it.”
In short, many of the great sights in the world tease you a bit before delivering the climax (as it were).
And so it was with the Takachiho Gorge.
Located in the mountains of northwest Miyazaki Prefecture, the Gorge of Takachiho City is one of the MUST-SEE SIGHTS of any visit to Kyushu, or so the guidebooks say. Needless to say, my expectations were high.
However, the initial stretch of the gorge is a big nothing-burger – essentially a small stream gurgling between non-descript, greyish-white rocks. Oh, it’s pleasant enough, but certainly nothing to write home about.
During my 20-minute, cliff-side walk along the gorge, the elevation increases gradually and the scenery becomes slightly more impressive. I start to see basalt columns emerging. The water appears to be becoming greener and clearer.
“Okay, I admit it, this is a fairly nice nature walk. But it’s hardly transcendent”
It’s not until the final turn that the show-piece view reveals itself. There, in front of me, is a stunning, V-shaped canyon with a gorgeous, 17-meter waterfall cascading over black, basalt walls directly into the Gokase River. Below, paddle-boats traverse the tiny passage, edging up close to the waterfall for water-level viewing.
It is a scene straight out of Lord of the Rings—Rivendell to be exact, the Elven valley ruled by Lord Elrond.
I half expect to see elves, dwarves and hobbits having a drink on the shore before setting off on a Tolkien-esque quest.
Magical pretty much describes the view.
Twenty minutes ago, I would’ve written off this place as a major disappointment. But now, I get it. I see why people flock here in droves – and to be sure, it’s VERY crowded with tourists, especially on this busy Saturday afternoon. If I had it to do over again, I’d arrive bright and early, at opening time. Or better yet, I’d rent a boat in the wee hours of the morning and paddle straight up to the waterfall, with no one else around.
But even sharing the spot with a mob of other people doesn’t spoil the experience.
My point is when it comes to the great world sights, the name of the game is “Be Patient.” Give a place like Takachiho Gorge some time. Trust the guidebooks. Famous places are famous for a reason. Chances are, the site is going to be spectacular if you manage your expectation and just keep walking along the path.
(We humans have never been great with delayed gratification. Consider the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment, conducted in 1970 by Professor Walter Mischel. Children were given a choice between one immediate marshmallow or two if they waited for 15 minutes. Hidden cameras recorded the kids trying to cope with the temptation. Some of them sang. Others covered their eyes or turned away. In the end, researchers tracked the children through their teens and adulthood and determined that the kids who delayed gratification had higher SAT scores, lower body mass indexes, better stress management and lower rates of substance abuse.
I have to wonder how I would’ve performed in such an experiment. Back in my childhood, there were no video games. No smart phones. No TikTok. I’m guessing I would’ve done okay with holding off on the initial marshmallow. Nowadays, if I see a plate a fresh, hot, chocolate chip cookies, I seriously doubt that I’m waiting 15 minutes to have my second cookie, or my third. I want that treat now! Technology has ruined me.
Although it’s getting harder and harder to be patient, to delay gratification, the benefits are still out there. Good things still come to those who wait. Like a second marshmallow. Or beautiful sights. Or a healthier body. Try the 15-minute experiment with your favorite temptation and see how you do, then adjust your life accordingly. Get off those screens!)