Dec 5, 2015 - 1 min read

Tokyo's Lake Okutama

The best of man and nature combined

By Steve Morton

Community writer

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

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

The water's color take on many different tones when viewed from different angles

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

An official plaque located along the lake's northern shore

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

Oguchi Dam, the giant structure responsible for creating Lake Okutama by damming the Tama River

Looking out over the edge of this dam reveals the enormity of this structure

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

With fading daylight the evening shade cast a deep blue tone over the lake

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

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By Steve Morton

Community writer

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Jerome Lee 8 years ago

WOW this definitely makes for a great day trip out of Tokyo! Looks like a real stress-reliever from a hectic work week

Terrie Lloyd 8 years ago

I've ridden my bicycle up to Okutama from Tokyo, which is a 150km return trip. The road up into the mountains is a fairly gentle climb, and not too taxing. Fantastic scenery all the way up. Also, although the river was dammed, there is enough water flow that the river downstream is still in good condition as it splashes its way down through dramatic gorges and whitewater runs. After climbing about half way on the bike, I turned off at Okutama Town to have a swim in the river (it was early fall). Man, was the water cold...!

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