Lake Kaminokoike

icon-locationKiyoizumi, 清里町 Kiyosato, Shari District, Hokkaido 099-4526, Japan
Located in the mountains of Kiyosato Town, created from groundwater flowing from Lake Mashuko. The interesting point of Lake Kaminokoike is that the water is so blue that you can clearly see the fallen trees that have sunk to the bottom at a depth of 5 meters, as well as the schools of fish swimming near them.

The name of the lake is derived from the name Mashuko Lake in Ainu language "Kamuy-tou" which means "Lake of the Gods". Thinking that this beautiful lake Kaminokoike must be a gift from the gods, the people who inhabited this land since ancient times have called it "the child of the gods".

Depending on the weather, the water of Lake Kaminokoike has a very mysterious jade green color. The water in the lake stays as low as 8 degrees Celsius throughout the year, which helps the submerged branches not to rot but look like fossils in the green water.

The clear blue lake does not freeze even in winter. Inside the lake, you can see a bright red spotted fish called 'Dolly varden' (a type of salmon family) swimming among petrified trees submerged in the blue of the water creating a Mysterious and beautiful scenery.

The Kaminokoike Lake area was included in the "Akan Mashu National Park" in 2017. It will be visited as an excellent point on the experiential tour from the Uramashu Observatory.