Aoike (青池)

Flow of the course

About this spot

The symbol of Juniko, spreading at the foot of the Shirakami Mountains World Natural Heritage site, this mysterious pond holds cobalt blue water as if ink had been dissolved into it. Why it appears so blue has still not been scientifically explained, and its enigmatic beauty never fails to captivate visitors. The water is so clear that you can distinctly make out dead beech trees sunk beneath the surface. The hue shifts moment by moment depending on how the sunlight enters, and the blue shines even more vividly in the hours when the sun climbs higher. Juniko is a group of 33 lakes and ponds said to have been formed by a landslide during a great earthquake in the Edo period, and its name comes from the fact that 12 lakes could be seen from the Ozuki viewpoint. Walk about 10 minutes along a path through the beech forest from the parking lot of the forest visitor center Mori no Bussankan Kyororo, and you can look down at Aoike from the observation deck.

Tips

About a 10-minute drive by car from Juniko Station on the JR Gono Line, with the parking lot (paid) at the forest visitor center Mori no Bussankan Kyororo being the nearest access point. From the parking lot, it's about a 10-minute walk to Aoike along the trail. It gets crowded during the day in the tourist season, so an early morning arrival is recommended. If you want to capture the pond's color beautifully, a polarizing (PL) filter or adjusting your smartphone's exposure can help.

Best time to visit

About 40 minutes, including the round trip on the trail. The water is at its most vivid in the morning to around noon on a sunny day, when light shines onto the surface

Access & map

〒038-2206 青森県西津軽郡深浦町松神