Otome Fall is a manmade waterfall. It was constructed so the water being diverted from the Takinoyu River could cross the Shibu River, so it drops right down a steeply-banked cliff, the collected water crossing an elevated flume, joining a supplementary feed of water from the Shibu River before being guided further downstream. Having the water from a river with a relatively high volume of water cross over several smaller rivers on its way to areas where there isn’t enough water was the idea of Yosen Sakamoto, a concept called “carryover weirs” that was breakthrough technology in the Edo Period when this was built.
While this is a sightseeing spot where you can see an impressive waterfall up close, it is also a World Heritage Irrigation Structure where you can learn about the merits of irrigation.