Slot Canyon Atlas

AtlasTanigawa-renpo (Gunma)

Dakikaeri-sawa

verified Ungraded High flood risk Minakami, Gunma

Twelve hours of nonstop waterfalls in the Yubiso drainage, capped by a 120 m four-tier headwall.

Classic Tanigawa hard sawanobori. Most parties run it as a long single day from Shiraga-mon trailhead. The continuous-cascade character means there is no easy out, the route commits you to climbing through the falls. Recommended only for parties with prior sawanobori experience and a leader comfortable on wet rock.

Logistics

ManagerJoshinetsu-kogen NP, Forestry Agency
PermitNo permit required. Mountain plan recommended with Gunma Prefectural Police.
Distance~6 to 8 mi RT including 1.5 hr approach
Elevation~2,000 ft gain
Time12 hr car-to-car day
TechnicalContinuous-cascade sawanobori in the Yubiso-gawa drainage. Reported as a sustained run of waterfalls top to bottom with a 120 m four-tier headwall requiring mixed scrambling and water crossings. Pools include Unagi-fuchi (Eel Pool) and a series of nameshou pitches. Sawanobori grade 3-jokyu (upper grade 3). Slippery vegetation, water-worn rock, and exposure on the upper pitches. Snow patches linger into July in the headwaters.
SeasonMid-July to mid-September. Outside summer the water is punishing.
Flood riskHigh. Continuous flowing terrain with limited bail options once committed; the same Tanigawa-massif thunderstorm pattern applies.
Vehicle access2WD paved to the Shiraga-mon (Hakumo-mon) trailhead.
CrowdLight to moderate. Less trafficked than Narumizu-sawa, considered a step up in seriousness.
Coordinates36.859, 138.946

Sources