First made famous by a Japanese television commercial, Lake Toyoni is one of the stand-out wonders in an island renowned for its natural splendor; originally known as ‘Kamuito’, or, “A Marsh that a God Lives”, it was later given its present name in honor of the nearby Mt. Toyonidake, another highlight of the Hidaka Range.
While the lake is beautiful all year round, it is most jaw-dropping during the autumn months, when a dazzling collection of fall colors takes over the forests around the lake and all over the mountainside. The only natural lake in the Hikada Range, the journey to Lake Toyoni can be made multiple ways: visitors can embark on a short hike along a forest trail that leads to Lake Toyoni’s peaceful shores, or, for those interested in more unique experiences, an exhilarating helicopter ride will take you right over the lake for a birds eye view like no other.
A heart-shaped, 30-hectare emerald expanse enveloped by a lush forest that remains untouched by civilization, few places can offer the sense of peace and solitude that Lake Toyoni delivers.