Korean tourist found dead under Japanese waterfall

Published: 16 Jul. 2025, 16:52

Updated: 16 Jul. 2025, 19:05

Harajiri Falls in Oita Prefecture [BUNGO-ONO CITY TOURISM ASSOCIATION GENERAL]

 
A 19-year-old Korean tourist was found dead at Harajiri Falls, a popular tourist destination in Japan’s Oita Prefecture.
 
Japanese broadcaster NHK reported Wednesday that the body had been discovered around 9:15 a.m. Monday at the base of the waterfall in Bungo-Ono, a city in Kyushu. Police later identified the victim as a Korean college student and said the cause of death was drowning.
 
 
The student had been visiting Japan with three friends for sightseeing and had traveled to Harajiri Falls on the day of the incident, police said. Witnesses reported that the student had jumped into the plunge pool from about 20 meters (65.6 feet) and did not resurface.
 
Authorities received a report around 7:30 p.m. Sunday that the man had gone missing after jumping into the water and began the search. His body was recovered the following morning.
 
Harajiri Falls, often called the “Niagara of the East,” is about 120 meters wide and 20 meters high, the equivalent of a seven- to eight-story building. While popular among residents and Japanese tourists, it is relatively unknown to Korean travelers.
 

Harajiri Falls in Oita Prefecture [BUNGO-ONO CITY TOURISM ASSOCIATION GENERAL]

 
The plunge pool beneath the falls is known to be deep and dangerous, and experts have repeatedly warned that swimming or diving in the area is hazardous.
 
“If someone accidentally falls into the plunge pool and panics, they may expel all the air from their lungs, leading them to sink further down,” Hidetoshi Saito, chairman of the Society of Water Rescue and Survival Research told NHK. “It’s important not to panic and to let the current carry you. Even if you sink temporarily, your body will naturally float back up after a while.”
 
A similar fatal accident occurred at Harajiri Falls in 2006, when a woman participating in a tour jumped into the water and died.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]