Exploring Fukushima: Goshikinuma Ponds

[Visited on June 1st 2022]

If you are stranded somewhere in Aizu and Fukushima, with no strength left but to drag your feet, I’m here with a hiking suggestion for beginners. Follow the trail around the rainbow lakes of Fukushima and learn more about the Japanese gods. Keep in mind that this the perfect excursion for mid-June, when lush greenery is abundant.

The trail visits Goshikinuma (五色沼), literally ‘the lakes with five colors’, which alludes to the varied color hues of each lake. In my mind, I have associated the word numa with swampy ponds, but I can assure you that these lakes look crystal clear. The five main lakes and a lot of smaller ponds were formed in 1888, after a large eruption of the nearby Mt. Bandai (磐梯山) and a subsequent rock avalanche, which re-sculpted the landscape in its entirety. (I have researched, and Mt. Bandai is not associated with Bandai-Namco, bummer). The explosion of Mt. Bandai was serious and caused 500 deaths but gave an abundance of color as condolences to the villagers. A local patron, Endo Genmu, was devastated by the disruption caused by the eruption and funded the planting of thousands of trees, thus revitalizing the area and turning it in a tourist destination.

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View from the observatory next to Bishamon’s pond

The trail starts at a small visitor center / shop and the first stop is Lake Bishamon. There is a wooden deck next to it and dozens of small boats for those who enjoy rowing. (The boats are going to be a common occurrence, I counted at least 3 boat stations at the various lakes.) Apparently, some giant and hungry Koi fish are aggressively asking for food at this lake. Bishamon-ten (毘沙門天) is the Japanese equivalent of the hindu god Vaiśravaṇa, one of the four heavenly kings. He is an armor-clad warrior god and is often confused with Hachiman, the other god of war. In Japanese folklore, Bishamon is one of the seven lucky gods, along with Benzai-ten and Daikoku-ten.

Next come the red pond Akanuma (赤沼), the deep pond Midorunuma (深泥沼) and the dragon’s pond Tatsunuma (竜沼). These ponds are much smaller and a lot muddier than the larger ones. The locals say that the colors of the ponds change ‘mysteriously’ depending on the year and the weather. Indeed, colors may change to red, due to copper and other volcanic minerals that are left over from Mt. Bandai’s eruption. The May-June period is regarded as shin-ryoku (新緑), the time of the year when fresh leaves appear and there’s no greener option other than the Goshikinuma.

The most impressive out of all the ponds is Benzaiten’s pond with its aquamarine blue color. It is a relatively large pond with a couple of benches next to it so that you can sit and enjoy the view. Benzaiten (弁才天) or Benten is the goddess of music, beauty and speech, another one of the seven lucky gods. She is the equivalent of the Hindu goddess Saraswati and became really popular in Japan, maybe because of her role as bestower of monetary fortune. She is commonly depicted holding a biwa guitar, with dragons and snakes around her. There’s another observation deck at the edge of Benten’s pond, which offers a magnificent view of the blue gradients of the lake and the Azuma mountains at the back.

Next, comes Rurinuma (るり沼), the lapis lazuli pond with a deep blue hue. At the time of my visit, it appeared as green as it gets, with its waters still, forming an excellent mirror of the surrounding trees and the hovering Mt. Bandai. It is easy to spot the volcano from its twin peaks and the collapsed caldera. From this side, the Ura-Bandai back side, the mountain appears rough and destroyed, a contrast from its tidy view from the other side.

On the opposite side, there’s Aonuma (青沼), the bluest of the ponds. The lush greenery surrounding it, makes the color even more mesmerizing. Apparently, this specific spot at Aonuma has been awarded the ‘number 1 most beautiful view of Fukushima’. Finally, we reach Yanagi-numa (柳沼), the willow pond that sits directly next to the cafeteria and the souvenir shop at the end of the trail. A dozen of armchairs are conveniently set up in front of a large wooden deck to enjoy the view of the lake regardless of the weather.

Did you think that we stopped counting ponds? There’s one more left! Lake Hibara (桧原湖) is one of the largest lakes that were formed after the eruption. Because of its large size and depth, it does not offer the rainbow colors like the ponds do. However, it is nice to chill, take a quick boat ride and get some ice-cream. You can even try a cruise! If you have time to spare, a few more nature trails start from lake Hibara and are eagerly waiting to be explored.

The trail is only 7.1km long, with almost no elevation gain and takes about one and a half hour from one end to the other. If you want to check out the details of this hike, you can follow the route in alltrails. On my way back from the ponds, I observed a lot of wild wisteria trees decorating the road with their purple blossoms. Be sure to look for them. Moreover, don’t forget to admire the view of the rice fields at sunset, it’s a blessing.

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