Lake Chūzenji

Lake Chūzenji (中禅寺湖, Chūzenji-ko) is a scenic lake in Nikkō National Park in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It was created 20,000 years ago when Mount Nantai (2484 m) erupted and blocked the river.

Lake Chūzenji
Lake and Mt. Nantai
Lake Chūzenji
LocationNikkō National Park, Nikkō, Tochigi
Coordinates36°44′26″N 139°27′44″E
Native name中禅寺湖
Basin countriesJapan
Surface area11.62 km2 (4.49 sq mi)
Average depth163 m (535 ft)
Surface elevation1,269 m (4,163 ft)
from hotel hana-an
Fall colors at the lake

The lake has a surface area of 11.62 km² and a circumference of 25 km. Its elevation at the surface is 1,269 m (4,124 ft), and the water reaches a depth of 163 m (508 ft). The Yukawa River is the principal source of water. It drains through the Kegon Falls.

Chuzenji Lake was discovered in 782 by a priest named Shōdō when his group succeeded in climbing Mt. Nantai. Considered sacred, the mountain was closed to women, horses, and cows until 1872. In the middle of the Meiji period and early Showa period, many European embassies built vacation houses around the lake. The former Italian villa has been renewed and is now open to visitors. Other sites around the lake include Futara Shrine built in 790, Chuzenji Temple, and Kegon Falls. In spring, cherry blossoms are blooming. In summer, people can escape the heat and enjoy bird watching and hiking. In fall of course, there are the famous beautiful autumn leaves and in winter there is the Snow and Ice Festival, plus winter sports like skiing and skating.

The lake was a favourite summer haunt of Sir Ernest Satow when he was Britain's envoy in Japan, 1895-1900 as his diaries of that time attest. He constructed a house by the lake which was used as a villa by the British Embassy for over a century.[1]

Sources
  • Encyclopædia Britannica, Lake Chūzenji, accessed on September 20, 2009
  • The Diaries of Sir Ernest Satow, British Minister in Tokyo (1895-1900), edited by Ian Ruxton, lulu.com, 2003
gollark: What a brilliant lineage, <@365129049183485953>.
gollark: See last paragraph.
gollark: ``` They're very gentle creatures, spending most of their lives flying lazy loops in the sky or draped decoratively over evergreen boughs and along eaves. Their green "garland" along their spine is modified dorsal fin, flexible, not stiff. Though they do eat normal small prey animals, the mainstay of their diet is mana absorbed through the green fins. They greatly prefer Life mana, but an abundance of any in a region will suffice. The berries are most often highly refined fire mana, and give gentle, comforting warmth to any who find one. They will gather in small groups in areas with higher than normal mana concentrations in the air, though they can be seen nearly anywhere. They appear to be oblivious to extremes of both hot and cold weather, though they're seen more often during the snowy months. It is believed that they actively convert excess mana to fire mana, which is then deliberately dropped in the form of their berries. If one finds a nest made by one of these dragons they will find a layer of the mana berries lining the bottom, presumably to keep the eggs warm while the parent is away. These dragons are believed to be the source of the practice of decorating homes and trees with garlands made of evergreen boughs and holly berries or cranberries.```The Wiki™.
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References
  1. The Diaries of Sir Ernest Satow, British Minister in Tokyo (1895-1900), Edited by Ian Ruxton, 2003


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