A beautiful lake can be enjoyed all year round, of course. But having grown up on the Great Lakes, I know how fun going to the lake is in summer. The near unbearable (for someone from a colder climate, at least) heat and humidity of Japanese summers will only get worse, so spending time on the water is an excellent way to stay cool outside this season.
Luckily, Japan has no shortage of beautiful lakes. The Fuji Five Lakes offer spectacular views of Mount Fuji, and Hokkaido boasts some of the clearest lakes in the world. And as home to about 10% of the world’s volcanoes, many of Japan’s lakes are volcanic lakes—either caldera lakes, formed in a collapsed volcano, or created by volcanic dams.
However, most of the large natural lakes in Japan are distributed throughout north and central Japan, so those in southern regions like Tokyo will have to travel to access them.
Don’t know where to start? Here are five lakes in Japan great for staying stay cool this summer.
1. Lake Toya
This caldera lake in Hokkaido is one of Japan’s best-known lakes, particularly for its transparency. It was formed from a volcanic eruption 110,000 years ago, forming a nearly circular caldera with Nakajima Island located right in the middle, giving the lake a donut shape.
Due to its depth of up to 180 meters, the lake’s surface never freezes over despite Hokkaido’s harsh winters. The name “Toya” comes from the Ainu expression to ya, meaning lakeshore. It is part of Shikotsu-Toya National Park and also features Mt. Usu, an active volcano located on the lake’s southern edge which last erupted in 2000.
Lake Toya was the location of the G8 summit in 2008, and the Windsor Hotel Toya Resort and Spa served as the host. But the lake and its surroundings offer much more than fancy hotels and picturesque views. There are many opportunities for hiking, camping, and fishing in the area, and many onsen in the town of Toyako offer lake views. You can also take the ropeway to the peak of Mt. Usu to get panoramic views of the lake.
Hokkaido - Map
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餓死鬼
Some beautiful photos, particularly of Toya, Chuzenji and Biwa. Out of those, I can only vouch for Lake Biwa. As well as scenic beauty, Biwa also has that interesting event, the Birdman Rally, where people attempt to fly as far as possible in crafts built from scratch before they drop into the lake.
You seem quite obsessed with Fukishima water. Do you have something else you could be getting on with, like a life?