Thursday 15 August 2013

Hachimantai 八幡平: Onuma 大沼

Directly across the road from the Visitors Centre is Onuma pond/ lake and an eatery that is no more.
There used to be a bear in a cage here that looked like the most forlorn and miserable creature, on par with the animals in a mini-zoo that I saw in Kaifeng in China. In a bear park not far down the road from here there was a break out of the bears in April last year. Thirty six bears escaped and 2 attendents were killed. (One of the women killed was a classmate of Hiro's sister-in-law's mother - 75 years old or so.) Very sad, but very sad for the bears too... spending their life sleeping on concrete and looking at the mountains.... I'd want to escape too.

But as for the lake itself, it not clear whether it's a volcanic lake (as in a caldera) or whether its a tectonic lake where a hollow was created and filled with water.



The former eatery
It must have only just  closed - the PO box is still out the front.
Being a sticky beak, I peered in the window. It was eerie; the Marie
Celeste of eateries.  Everything there, untouched and a stuffed
bear by the door ready to welcome customers in.... 
A map of the lake and surrounding area
Onuma 
It's about a 15-20 min walk around
There's a campsite right next to it - only open in the summer and autumn.
Like much of the area, in an effort to preserve nature, there are wooden walking trails.
Flowers
Close up
Detail on the formation of the lake
The road home
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