Kegon Falls in the city of Nikko, north of Tokyo, is currently being illuminated at night to attract tourists even after the end of the fall foliage season.
The event began on Saturday evening with a man dressed as a mountain priest blowing a seashell horn.
A priest from a Shinto shrine near Lake Chuzenji prayed for safety before the waterfall was lit up shortly after 5:30 p.m.
Visitors enjoyed photographing the white falls contrasted against a dark gorge.
Other landmarks around Lake Chuzenji, including former summer houses of the British and Italian embassies, were also lit up.
The stunning views captivated visitors as they strolled around the lake.
One woman in her 20s from Nara Prefecture said she could see the waterfall both in daylight and when illuminated, and that it was more powerful than she had imagined.
The head of a local tourism promotion group, Kishino Takaaki, said he hopes many people will visit the site and enjoy a range of events.
The evening illumination event runs through Sunday.