Ok, now for the first real post. Actually I thought of the blog after I got back so I didn’t take too many photos..but I did take some.
You can find the lake at these coordinates: 35.759302, 140.221040 and here is the map.
I found a little information about the area online, but my main reason for going was to geocache. There were lots in the area and on the map it looked a pleasant place to spend a day. It also looked like there was a convenient place to park, with a handy convenience..which is always good. On getting there I was proved right, Futago Park is right next to the lake and has free parking, yes free! for as long as you like, that is quite rare for Japan.
As you can see on the map the lake is actually joined to another, Lake Tega-numa by a channel. I had already decided to just cycle up the channel and back down the other side. As it turned out, it was hot..really hot maybe 35+ so I only cycled about 15km in all, ran out of water and turned back. Which means I can do it again another day. Please note there are no stores or vending machines along the route I took, I know.. shocker for Japan, so take plenty of water and use the toilet in the park before you set off.
These pictures were taken on the other side of the parking lot a little way down.
As you can see by the photo of the channel the lake has a lot of plant life and has experienced progressive eutrophication lately. I looked it up, it means “rich in nutrients and so supporting a dense plant population, the decomposition of which kills animal life by depriving it of oxygen.”
So maybe not so many fish, but I did see a few fishermen and fisher birds such as egrets. So there must be something there.
The route goes under a few bridges and passes a metal art museum, which was closed for the summer…shame, I bet it had a vending machine and toilets.
So a lovely day out for the better prepared. With a good path, straight and true..no punctures, no bumps, 14 caches found. Not much seen..apart from these weird elephant statues in the park??
and a bridge with a elephant motif.
Apparently the fossil remains of a Naumann elephant where found in the area in 1966. Other elephant fossils have been found in Nagano and Hokkaido. The Japanese website below says take a romantic look at the elephants and imagine them coming to drink the water in the lake. I would have…but I was actually very thirsty at the time.
References:
http://wldb.ilec.or.jp/data/databook_html/asi/asi-29.html
http://www.worldlakes.org/lakedetails.asp?lakeid=8387
http://itot.jp/12231/93
