Lake Kagami
Lake Kagami
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58 within 3 miles
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31 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
184 reviews
Excellent
73
Very good
82
Average
27
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Vanessa Y
Tokyo, Japan810 contributions
Oct 2012 • Couples
We didn't get a perfect day ... but the fog made it very mystical. It's easy to picture just how magical it would be on perfect Autumn day ... you'd probably have to beat the crowds, though!
Written October 24, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dragonfly287
Larkspur, CA12 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
An absolutely breathtaking, serene, incredible place, especially amidst all the autumn colors. So glad we made the trek to visit!
Written November 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DLi_hk
Hong Kong, China17,638 contributions
Oct 2015 • Solo
"Kagami-ike" in japanese means mirror pond. Lucky that the wind was not so strong that i captured good reflections that day. fall foliage is abt 50%. Drove from Nagano city in abt 60 min. If via regular bus, need to walk about 20min from bus stop.
Written November 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Asterix135
Toronto, Canada202 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
The pond itself is quite pretty, especially with the mountains in the background. I can see this being quite gorgeous in the fall. The hike there from the Okusha shrine gate is quite nice, and not at all difficult, going through some nice woods.
Written August 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Benjamin Ho
Singapore, Singapore318 contributions
Dec 2017 • Solo
I took what seemed to be an alternative route to Kagami-ike. I think there's no bus service there during the colder months as the roads on parts of the route are frozen over and difficult for buses to safely drive on. So you might have to walk along the road, or take the off-road trail (which cuts across the forest to another road) as I did. I took this trail as I didn't want to take the regular road up from Chu-sha and then have to backtrack. If you're going to do this, plan ahead for extra travel time as it begins to get dark here by 4.30pm.
I backtracked down partway from where I came from before I reach the Chu-sha, and followed a signboard pointing me toward a pathway into the forest. If you intend to trek by this route, your shoes should be waterproof, and also bring decent walking aids. There also might be bears so always beware. I noted a big pile of animal crap on the side of the trail. The trail may be covered with leaves and shrubs, so the path may not be distinct. You'll exit the trail after about 45 minutes of quick walking through uneven paths. Don't diverge or you'll get lost.
After a bit, you'll exit to a road. Follow it to Kagami-ike. Along the way you'll pass an alternate hiking trail to Kagami-ike. This route requires registration and apparently can be challenging as bears had been spotted. I saw weird tracks too. I went about halfway and turned back. If you're unnerved at the thought of going solo, I would discourage you from doing so.
When I reached Kagami-ike, the pond was mostly frozen over. But, the scenery was just beautiful with the sky so blue, and clear with a smattering of clouds. It was definitely, definitely an awesome reward after trekking such a long way. Had to walk a long way to Soba no mi for a late lunch afterward though since there wasn't a bus.
Remember to dress appropriately for the weather and the visits to the shrines :) Oh, and the toilets and restaurants in Kagami-ike's immediate area were not in operation and boarded up when I visited. So make sure you're prepped.
I backtracked down partway from where I came from before I reach the Chu-sha, and followed a signboard pointing me toward a pathway into the forest. If you intend to trek by this route, your shoes should be waterproof, and also bring decent walking aids. There also might be bears so always beware. I noted a big pile of animal crap on the side of the trail. The trail may be covered with leaves and shrubs, so the path may not be distinct. You'll exit the trail after about 45 minutes of quick walking through uneven paths. Don't diverge or you'll get lost.
After a bit, you'll exit to a road. Follow it to Kagami-ike. Along the way you'll pass an alternate hiking trail to Kagami-ike. This route requires registration and apparently can be challenging as bears had been spotted. I saw weird tracks too. I went about halfway and turned back. If you're unnerved at the thought of going solo, I would discourage you from doing so.
When I reached Kagami-ike, the pond was mostly frozen over. But, the scenery was just beautiful with the sky so blue, and clear with a smattering of clouds. It was definitely, definitely an awesome reward after trekking such a long way. Had to walk a long way to Soba no mi for a late lunch afterward though since there wasn't a bus.
Remember to dress appropriately for the weather and the visits to the shrines :) Oh, and the toilets and restaurants in Kagami-ike's immediate area were not in operation and boarded up when I visited. So make sure you're prepped.
Written January 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Guen-Hye
Taichung, Taiwan7 contributions
Nov 2016 • Solo
Lake Kagami is beautiful. It has many trails around it and you can walk and not come across anyone. It has beautiful views of mountains.
Written January 11, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Björnv
2 contributions
Oct 2015 • Family
Very nice scenery. If it's not windy is like a mirror. We went there in autumn the colours are wonderful.
Written October 10, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YTCHENG
Hong Kong, China15,393 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
We visited this spot by late Oct and only gave medium rating to it because the weather by then was not good enough to show the mirror effect on the surrounding mountains, Anyway the place was quiet with less people around but you need to plan your routes around the area in advance. Should be a nice photo-taking spot.
Written November 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pepusina
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands329 contributions
Nov 2017 • Couples
the water is so still dat in a foto is almost impossible to say what it water and what is the sky. Amazing! really like a postcard, there are also som walking routes arond the lake, but bring good shoes.
Written November 14, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philipp H
Berlin, Germany241 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
After walking up to the Okusha Shrine, we headed for the Lake Kagami. The hike through the Botanical Garden to the lake took us about 30-40 minutes and wasn't very challenging. Thus, you won't need any special hiking gear. Sneakers will do just fine. But you should definitely bring your camera! The reflections of the mountains and trees in the water of the lake are truly amazing. Needless to say that you should visit on a sunny day.
Written October 27, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is the walk from Okushu Shrine through the Botanical Gardens to Lake Kagami one that is easy to find, are there signs?
Written June 18, 2018
Hi DenPow, I've walked from Lake Kagami to the Okusha Shrine in December, when it was snowing slightly. However, I did not notice any entrance along the road which would lead to the Botanical Gardens and direct to Okusha. To get to Okusha, you might need to follow the road, where you'd reach a junction with the Soba-no-mi restaurant. The road up leads to Lake Kagami.
Depending on the time of year, certain off-road trails may be more visible and accessible. But note that there are bear sightings in the area, and some paths require you to register with a regional board before you attempt to hike through due to the presence of bears and difficulty of the hike or climb. If you're attempting this within the colder months, it is advisable to check in with the local tourist board in Nagano.
Written June 20, 2018
私は2018年1月31日に鏡池を訪問したいと思います。
戶隱奧社から鏡池に歩くことはできますか？
I would like to visit Mirror Pond on 31 Jan 2018, which bus I should take?
Can I walk to the Mirror Pond from Togakushi Shrine Okusha?
Written November 7, 2017
冬は雪が多くて、戸隠に行くことが大変です。
バスはあります。
車はスタッドレスタイヤ装着とチェーンを持っていって下さい。
冬山の装備が必要です。
戸隠には五社 神社がありますから、奥社ではなく楽に参拝できる中社あたりがいいと思います。
Written November 8, 2017
How do you get to the park from the city centre
?
Written April 19, 2015
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