Mishakaike and Shirakoma no ike　　御射鹿池、白駒の池

May 29th. 2025

Mishaka-ike　　御射鹿池

 Michi no eki Tateshina gave us a peaceful night and an overcast morning. Not unusually, we are the last to leave as we set off for Mishakaike.

This is an artificial reservoir constructed for agricultural irrigation. The high acidity of the water discourages aquatic life but adds vivid colour to the surrounding vegetation. As a consequence, it has proved popular with Japanese artists and attracts a constant stream of photographers.

It is the subject of a famous painting Green Echoes by Nihonga artist Higashiyama Kaii.

It really is worth seeing, the lake I mean. On this our second visit, it is still hard to stop taking pictures.

Yokoya gorge　　横谷渓谷

From Mishakaike, courtesy of Google, we follow an incredibly bumpy track that lacks tarmac for stretches until we come out, via some holiday homes, at the top of Yokoyatani. Yokoya Gorge. From the car park, we walk through pleasant woodland to a small, temple-like building which I suppose houses Yokoya Kannon.

From this point, the trail to the gorge becomes a very serious affair. You can look down on the gorge way, way below and signs warn that this is dedicated hiker territory. The track heads straight down not far off the vertical. I am certainly not capable of such treks anymore so we head back to the car park. If you want to walk the gorge, I suspect, one should start from the  other end.

Shirakoma no ike, Mononoke no mori　　白駒の池

Abandoning walking the gorge leaves us at something of a loss, so we head off to Shirakoma no ike/pond. This involves driving the Marchen road (Rd.299). The elevation here is 2000 metres plus; the scenery very beautiful. This area is, apparently, the largest, silver birch forest in Japan. At this height though, the trees are yet to come into leaf. We spot deer and a red squirrel.

Reaching the Shirakoma pond car park, we pay the 600 yen charge. Here there is a shop selling omiage gifts and a few unsuitable foodstuffs like crisps and chocolate. No onigiri or even energy bars. This is unfortunate as it is lunchtime and we have no food. 

From the car park, it is a fairly short but mostly uphill climb on a boardwalk. On either side of the path twisted tree roots and boulders are thickly covered in a sea of moss. 519 different varieties apparently.  

The lake, the largest at this elevation in Japan, (you can tell I’ve been reading the information pamphlet) is surrounded by vegetation and graced with one solitary duck. As a winter visitor perhaps it should have already left.

Most visitors seem to walk as far as the lake and return to the car park but a circuit of the lake is well worth it. The mass of roots, rocks and moss cover create a fantasy landscape. You are in Lord of the Rings or Mononokehime territory here. There is abundant bird song and, at the end of May, still occasional patches of snow.

The majority of the way is along sturdy boards but in some areas these become narrow rotted and unstable but safe enough if you are cautious.

This is a good spot and an enjoyable walk. There are hostels to stay in nearby and probably bus tours in high season so the place may become uncomfortably busy at times.

Marumelo no sato Negato

Rain is forecast for the night as we head for michi no eki Marumelo no sato Nagato. Another catchy monika. Here, parking reasonably close to the facilities is easy. It also has restaurants, a Lawsons and an onsen. The parking area is large and popular with trucks. The facilities are first class though perhaps small for the size of the place. There are no rubbish bins, not even for cans and pet bottles.