Lakes · Tochigi
Lake Chuzenji
中禅寺湖ちゅうぜんじこChūzenji-koA high lake beneath sacred Mount Nantai
Lake Chuzenji (Chūzenji-ko) is a mountain lake at 1,269 metres in Oku-Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, formed when lava from Mount Nantai dammed a valley. It drains over the Kegon Falls, and its shores hold an ancient temple and shrine as well as former embassy villas.
Overview
Lake Chuzenji lies in the Oku-Nikko highlands above the shrines and temples of Nikko, reached by the hairpin bends of the Irohazaka road. At 1,269 metres it is one of the highest large lakes in Japan, and the volcanic cone of Mount Nantai rises steeply from its north-east shore.
The lake was discovered for Buddhism by the monk Shōdō Shōnin, who reached the summit of Nantai in 782 and founded Chūzen-ji temple on the shore, from which the lake takes its name. For centuries women and horses were barred from the area as sacred ground; the restriction was lifted in 1872.
From the late 19th century the cool lake became a summer retreat for foreign diplomats, and several embassies built villas along the south shore, two of which are preserved and open to the public. The lake's only outflow drops 97 metres over the Kegon Falls.
Landscape and formation
Around 20,000 years ago lava flows from Nantai-san blocked the upper Daiya valley, and the lake formed behind the dam. The water leaves through the Kegon Falls at the east end, cut into the lava. Mount Nantai (2,486 m) rises some 1,200 metres above the lake, and the wetlands of Senjōgahara lie just to the north-west.
Highlights
- 華厳滝Kegon no Taki
The lake's outflow, plunging 97 m into a gorge; one of Japan's most famous waterfalls.
Chūzen-ji Tachiki Kannon
中禅寺（立木観音）Chūzen-ji (Tachiki Kannon)Temple on the east shore, founded according to tradition by Shōdō Shōnin, with a Kannon statue said to be carved from a living tree.
Futarasan Shrine Chūgūshi
二荒山神社中宮祠Futarasan Jinja ChūgūshiMiddle shrine of Futarasan on the north shore and starting point of the climb up Mount Nantai.
Italian and British Embassy villas
イタリア大使館別荘記念公園Itaria Taishikan Bessō Kinen KōenRestored villas on the south shore; the Italian villa (1928) was designed by Antonin Raymond with cedar-bark panelling.
Ryūzu Falls
竜頭滝Ryūzu no TakiCascade on the Yukawa where it enters the lake, famous for autumn colour.
Ecology
The lake originally had no fish because the Kegon Falls blocked migration. From the 1870s it was stocked with salmonids, and it is now known for trout fishing. The surrounding forests of oak, maple and beech colour in early October, among the first in the Kanto region.
Flora
Deciduous forest
Mongolian oak, maples and beech on the shores and the slopes of Nantai.
Fauna
Introduced trout
Brown trout, lake trout and kokanee salmon support a long-established sport fishery.
Sika deer
Abundant in Oku-Nikko; fences protect vegetation in parts of Senjōgahara.
Culture
The lake and Mount Nantai are the inner sanctuary of Nikko's mountain worship. Each year in early August Futarasan Shrine opens the Nantai summit for a night-time pilgrimage climb from the Chūgūshi. The diplomatic villa era, from Ernest Satow onwards, left a small international chapter in the lake's history.
- 男体山登拝講社大祭Nantai-san Tohai Kōsha Taisai
Festival in early August when pilgrims climb to the summit shrine through the night.
Ernest Satow's villa
The British diplomat built one of the first foreign villas at the lake in the 1890s; it later became the British Embassy villa.
History
782
Shōdō Shōnin reaches the summit of Mount Nantai.
784
Chūzen-ji temple is founded on the lake shore, according to tradition.
1872
The ban on women and horses in the Chuzenji area is lifted.
1896
Ernest Satow builds a villa on the south shore.
1928
The Italian Embassy villa is built.
1934
Nikko National Park is designated.
Through the seasons
Spring
Late: snow can linger into April, and fresh green arrives in May.
Summer
Cool at nearly 1,300 m; boating, fishing and the Nantai pilgrimage in early August.
Autumn
Colour arrives in late September to mid-October, spreading down from Senjōgahara to the lake and the Irohazaka.
Winter
Cold and quiet; the lake itself rarely freezes over completely.
Routes and trails
Mount Nantai ascent
Steep climb of about 1,200 m from Futarasan Chūgūshi, open during the shrine's climbing season.
South shore trail
Lakeside path from the embassy villas west to Senjugahama, with views back to Nantai.
Lake cruise
Boats circle the lake from Chūzenji Onsen in the warmer months.
Practical notes
- Buses from JR and Tōbu Nikko stations climb the Irohazaka to Chūzenji Onsen in about 45 minutes; autumn weekends bring heavy traffic jams.
- Temperatures are several degrees lower than in Nikko town; bring warm clothing outside summer.
- The Nantai climb is only open during the shrine's season; check with Futarasan Shrine.
Frequently asked questions
How was Lake Chuzenji formed?
Lava from Mount Nantai dammed a valley about 20,000 years ago; the lake filled behind the lava dam.
How high is Lake Chuzenji?
Its surface lies at about 1,269 m above sea level.
When are the autumn colours at Lake Chuzenji?
Usually from late September to mid-October, earlier than in Nikko town below.
How do you get from Nikko to Lake Chuzenji?
By bus from Nikko station up the Irohazaka road, about 45 minutes without traffic.
Related
Sources
- 1.統計FAQ 日本の湖沼の面積 (opens in a new tab) — 総務省統計局
- 2.日光国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
- 3.日光市 (opens in a new tab) — 日光市