Chokai Lake is a beautiful lake located near the seventh station of Mount Chokai. It can be viewed from the area near Ohama Shrine, looking toward the southern side of the mountain. Formed by volcanic activity, the lake is a caldera lake situated at an elevation of approximately 1,590 meters. It has a slightly elongated oval shape from north to south and measures about 200 meters across.
Surrounded by mountains, this quiet lake harmonizes beautifully with the alpine vegetation and lingering snow around it, making it one of Mount Chokai’s most scenic locations.
On clear days, visitors can also look beyond the lake toward the Shonai Plain and the Sea of Japan. The opportunity to enjoy mountain scenery and distant coastal views from the same location is one of Chokai Lake’s greatest attractions.
Chokai Lake is believed to have formed through volcanic activity on Mount Chokai approximately 160,000 years ago. Lava produced during this period spread across the mountain and still covers a broad area to the west of the lake.
The lake is surrounded by Mount Sensumori to the northeast and Mount Nabemori to the southwest. The hiking trail approaching the lake via Ohama Shrine follows a roughly horseshoe-shaped route around the area, allowing hikers to observe the unusual volcanic terrain created by the surrounding mountains.
The water of Chokai Lake comes primarily from snowmelt. Because of its high elevation, the lake is exposed to severe winter conditions. Although its maximum depth is only about 4.7 meters, the entire lake can freeze all the way to the bottom during winter.
The lake water is also relatively acidic, with a pH of approximately 4.7. Because of these conditions, relatively few organisms can live in the lake. However, species such as the Japanese black salamander can sometimes be found in the surrounding environment, demonstrating how certain creatures have adapted to the mountain’s distinctive conditions.
In earlier times, Chokai Lake was reportedly known as “Tori-no-Umi,” meaning “Bird Sea.” The old name suggests that the lake has been recognized as a distinctive natural feature by local people for centuries.
One of the greatest attractions around Chokai Lake is the combination of abundant lingering snow and alpine plants. Because snow remains on the high mountain slopes well into the warmer months, various alpine flowers begin to bloom as the snow gradually disappears.
The contrast between snow-covered slopes, delicate alpine flowers, and the blue waters of Chokai Lake beneath a clear sky creates a landscape characteristic of Mount Chokai.
As the season progresses, different flowers come into bloom one after another, providing hikers with constantly changing scenery.
From the area around Chokai Lake, visitors can enjoy more than the mountain scenery itself. Beyond the slopes lies the vast Shonai Plain and the Sea of Japan.
From an elevation of approximately 1,590 meters, the view encompasses the broad lowlands, the blue sea, alpine vegetation, and Chokai Lake. Seeing the mountains, plain, and ocean within a single panorama is one of the most memorable experiences available around the lake.
On days with good visibility, the view extends a considerable distance, making the area one of the most scenic parts of Mount Chokai.
The area around Chokai Lake is popular with hikers because of its beautiful scenery and the availability of mountain facilities such as mountain huts. Many visitors also make the lake itself their destination, while others stop here as part of a longer ascent of Mount Chokai.
The hiking trail approaching the lake via Ohama Shrine provides opportunities to experience Mount Chokai’s natural environment at close range, including volcanic landforms, lingering snow, and alpine vegetation.
Chokai Lake is a symbol of Mount Chokai’s natural environment, combining a landscape created by volcanic activity approximately 160,000 years ago with water supplied by the snow that continues to accumulate on the mountain today.
The surrounding Mount Sensumori and Mount Nabemori, alpine flowers blooming beside lingering snow, and distant views of the Shonai Plain and Sea of Japan come together to create a landscape that changes with the seasons and continues to fascinate hikers.
As part of a mountain that has a long history of sacred traditions, Chokai Lake offers an opportunity to experience volcanic terrain, snow, alpine plants, a crater lake, and the Sea of Japan all within one spectacular mountain landscape. It is one of the highlights worth visiting while hiking Mount Chokai.