The pond’s crystal blue appearance, as though something had melted in the water, and the decayed larch surrounding it gives the pond a mysterious aura yet awesome vibe.
The blue pond suddenly rose to international fame when it was once selected as one of Apple computer’s wallpaper.
Now, this pond is by no means old. It was man made to prevent disasters from volcanic mudflows, but accidentally also became a huge tourist spot.
If you’re interested in why the pond has a vivid blue color to it read below:
Underground water containing aluminum hydroxide flows from Shirahige Waterfall mixes with Biei River, making colloids. When this gets hit with sunlight, the short wavelength of blue gets dispersed, creating the effect of blue water.
The water color changes depending on the season and weather condition, but the pond is especially beautiful in June, when the color transforms to “fresh green”.
During the winter season (Nov.1 -Apr. 30) the pond is lit up from sunset to 9 pm.
Pure white snow blanketing the fields and trees lit up in different fashion is a fantastic sight to see. It’s also the perfect place to take photos for those of you who love posting to social media.
