Tokyo's Lake Okutama

The best of man and nature combined

Steve Morton Dec 05, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>Surrounded by beautiful mountains and lush forest its hard to imagine that this is a man-made lake </p>

<p>From one of the nearby mountain valleys its possible to see this huge lake from far away</p>

<p>The water's color take on many different tones when viewed from different angles</p>

<p>Close to this lake's northern shore is the Mizu no Midori no Fureaikan (Water museum) </p>

<p>Looking eastwards out over the lake</p>

<p>An official plaque located along the lake's northern shore</p>

<p>Located within the far western limits of the Tokyo Metropolitan Authority, the mountains in the distance run into neighboring Yamanashi Prefecture</p>

<p>Oguchi Dam, the giant structure responsible for creating Lake Okutama by damming the Tama River</p>

<p>Looking out over the edge of this dam reveals the enormity of this structure</p>

<p>Despite its picturesque appearance this lake is a vital source of water and energy for downtown Tokyo</p>

<p>With fading daylight the evening shade cast a deep blue tone over the lake</p>

Set within a picturesque landscape characterized by endless mountain valleys, deep gorges and long winding rivers, lays the majestic Lake Okutama.

Although created artificially by damming the mighty Tama River, this lake boasts a wealth of natural wonders including several great hiking courses, various water sports and numerous leisure activities which can be enjoyed all year round.

With a storage capacity in excess of 185.4 million cubic meters this lake also serves an important function in providing over 20 percent of Tokyo's water supply making it the perfect place to visit for anyone feeling a little thirsty

Steve Morton @steve.morton138

Yokohama based content creator, editor, and researcher. Steven likes, eating, reading and traveling on a streamlined budget guaranteed to make any self-respecting local gulp. When not too busy with work assignments, Steven attempts to not get lost while following Japanese tourist maps.Follow me o...