It is in the nature of our people to enjoy waterfalls, to which thousands pay pilgrimage every summer throughout the country. In nearly every landscape garden the waterfall constitutes the central feature. Even when there is no water available for the purpose, its rocky bed is made to give an appearance of having dried up, as it is the case in Nature in the dry season, great care being used for the formation of the cascade mouth. Its forms and construction have long been studied in the art of garden-making. It must have a proper surrounding: located far from the main house, it is generally made to fall from a valley between two mountains, with a background of dense forest. We speak of at least ten different forms of falls:
(1) tsutai-ochi (glide-falling), in which the water is made to glide down the surface of the inclined rocks;
(2) nuno-ochi (linen-falling), in which it falls in a thin sheet;
(3) ito-ochi (thread-falling), in which it falls in thread-like lines;
(4) kata-ochi (uneven-falling), in which it falls more on one side than the other;
(5) sayu-ochi (left-and-right falling), in which a rock is placed in the middle so as to let the water fall from either side of it;
(6) choku-ochi (straight falling), in which it falls straight down without any hindrance on the way;
(7) yoko-ochi (side falling), in which the water leaps from one side;
(8) mukai-ochi (vis-a-vis falling), in which it is made to gush from two sides to face each other in falling;
(9) hanare-ochi (detached falling), in which it shoots out a considerable distance from the fall; and
(10) kasane-ochi (repeated falling), in which it is made to fall in different stages or in repeated falls. When the water is scarce, the choice is generally made from the first three, and when the supply is abundant it is selected from the last three. However, in recent years wherever possible the aid of the city water system is invoked, or a pump is utilised. Whatever means may be resorted to, it must be so devised as to convey the idea that there is a streamlet in the valley behind by which it is fed. There must also be a basin with rocks for the water to plunge into. The cascade is so located, when possible, that the beauty of the sunshine and the moonbeam upon it may be appreciated.
