Lake Gando is acclaimed as one of the most beautiful man-made lakes in Japan.
In winter, when the lake freezes over, you can try the unique experience of ice fishing for wakasagi smelt, while fall offers completely different scenery.
This time, I happened to visit at the peak of the fall foliage season. The mountains were covered in orange-red, golden yellow, and deep green, all reflected on the lake. It was so beautiful that I couldn't stop taking pictures.
Unfortunately, it was cloudy on the day I visited, so the colors weren't as bright as they would have been in the sunlight. But the gray-blue sky actually made the fall colors look calmer and more layered.
Maybe it was because of the weather, but there were surprisingly few visitors that day. The entire lakeshore was very quiet, with only the sound of the wind passing through the treetops and the water gently rippling.
Without the crowds, Lake Gando had a special sense of autumn tranquility. Even on a cloudy day, the mountains, lake, and fall foliage before me still made me feel—this trip was truly worth it.
