[The Unexplored Region of Oku-Oi] Oku-Oi Kojo Station | The day it wasn't a blue lake, yet a view I'll never forget

I love the time spent walking along quiet ridgelines.

This time, I am introducing a popular tourist spot in Oku-Oi,Oku-Oi Kojo Station.

It is famous as a station floating on an emerald blue lake, but I visited the day after a typhoon had passed through.

The weather was clear.

However, the lake was not a vivid blue, but murky like milk tea.

Although I felt a little disappointed, the scenery I reached on foot left a strange and lasting impression on my heart.

What is Oku-Oi Kojo Station?

Oku-Oi Kojo Station is a station on the Oigawa Railway Ikawa Line.

Surrounded by Lake Sesso, which was created by the completion of the Nagashima Dam, it looks as if it is floating on the lake, attracting many tourists.

The view from the observation point is one of the iconic landscapes of Oku-Oi.

I visited by crossing the mountains

On this day, I started walking from Senzu Station, crossed Mt. Chisha and Mt. Tenguishi, and descended to Oku-Oi Kojo Station.

While many people visit the station as a tourist destination, I chose this route because I wanted to reach it by crossing the mountains.

The sense of accomplishment when I finally arrived at the station on the lake after walking through the quiet forest was exceptional.

▶ Click here for the hiking record of the day

It wasn't a blue lake

When people think of Oku-Oi Kojo Station, I think many imagine a lake shining in blue.

I was looking forward to that view as well.

However, due to the typhoon the previous day, the lake was murky and brown.

At first, I was a little surprised.

"I guess I won't be able to see the blue scenery today."

I had that feeling as well.

However, after gazing at the scenery for a while, my perspective changed.

Nature shows a different face every day.

A milk-tea colored lake despite the clear weather.

I think that, too, was a view that could only be seen on this day.

The view I could only see because I hiked the mountain

If I had only visited by car or train, I might have ended the day thinking, "What a shame about today."

But on this day, I had hiked the mountain.

Passing through the quiet forest, working up a sweat, and finally arriving at the station on the lake.

That is why I was fully satisfied, even though the lake wasn't blue.

Accepting the scenery of that day just as it was.

I feel like it was a time that truly captured the essence of a mountain trip.

Lake Curry and the Ikawa Line

At Oku-Oi Kojo Station, I also had the famous Lake Curry.

The blue roux is striking, but the taste is a familiar, comforting curry.

On the way back, I took the Ikawa Line to Senzu Station.

The Sessokyo Lake and Nagashima Dam viewed from the train window also felt like a special sight precisely because I had walked there.

Conclusion

Oku-Oi Kojo Station is known for its beautiful blue lake.

However, what I encountered was a station floating on a milk-tea-colored lake.

Nature does not always go as planned.

That is precisely why there are views you can only encounter on that specific day.

Oku-Oi Kojo Station, which I reached on foot, became an unforgettable sight for me, even without the blue lake.

Related Articles

▶ [Oku-Oi] Omori Station | A detailed introduction to the hidden station reached after crossing the mountains

▶ [Oku-Oi] From Mt. Kuriyo to Omori Station | A 19km traverse descending to a hidden station with no roads or cell service

▶ [Oku-Oi] From Mt. Chisha and Mt. Tenguishi to Oku-Oi Kojo Station | A traverse connecting the Kawane Trail and the scenic station

Walking Through Hidden Gems | Mountain Hiking Record Magazine

When walking in the mountains, I sometimes encounter places that leave a deeper impression than the summit itself.

Hidden stations, hidden hot springs, suspension bridges, and dams.

They might not have been the destination for any of them.

Even so, there are views that remain in my heart precisely because they are places I reached on my own two feet.

In this magazine, I have compiled records of such "special places encountered after walking."

▼ Walking Through Hidden Gems | Mountain Hiking Record Magazine