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14. Mototaki Waterfall and underground spring water
location: Kisakata-aza-hongo, Nikaho City – 20 minutes from Kisakata railway station by car
Legend says that all the frozen snow on Mount Chokai was absorbed into the ground 800 years ago, where it remained dormant under volcanic rocks for many centuries and now gushes out through moss-covered rocks, such as at Mototaki Waterfall.
The rare landscape here has become a focal point for its beauty and was also chosen as one of the 100 purest water sources in Japan by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.
The stream of underground spring water flows into a waterfall 30m wide and from a height of 5m. The water never runs dry and the current flows down in different directions. The water flies off the mossy rocks and leaves traces of beautiful lines.
The contrast of this clear water and the green moss is both beautiful to behold and therapeutic for the mind.
This underground spring water is Mother Nature’s gift from Mount Chokai to us.
keywords: nature, underground water
features: water source, negative ions, mysterious
written by Y. Otaki
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名称 元滝伏流水（平成の水百選に選ばれている）
種別 自然 伏流水
場所 にかほ市象潟字本郷
象潟駅から車で２０分
イメージ 水源 マイナスイオン、神秘
概要
元滝では約８００年前の鳥海山の根雪が地中に染み込み、苔に覆われた岩の間から伏流水となって湧き出すといわれている。この珍しい景観は、「美しき水の郷」を象徴する風景で「平成の水百選」（環境省）に選ばれている。伏流水の幅は約３０ｍ、高さ５ｍほどある。
一年中枯れることのない水は、幾筋の線となって流れ落ちて、豊かな苔を育み、苔岩にはじけ飛んで美しいしずくの軌跡を描きます。
この白い水と緑の苔が大変きれいな滝で、心が癒されます。この伏流水は鳥海山からの私達への贈り物です。
Y.OTAKI
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