Lake Chuzenji
中禅寺湖
About 20,000 years ago, an eruption of Mt. Nantai created Lake Chuzenji at its foot. At an altitude of 1,269 meters, Chuzenji is Japan’s highest natural lake, with a 25-kilometer hiking trail along its perimeter. During the 19th and 20th centuries it was a popular summer resort for villas owned by foreigners and embassies. The landscape includes blooming azaleas in early summer and bright foliage in autumn.