Shirakoma Pond was the most moving autumn foliage I have ever seen!

Shirakoma Pond was the most moving autumn foliage I have ever seen!

Hello, this is Ichiro! 😊 Today, let’s walk around Shirakoma Pond in the northern Yatsugatake Mountains of Nagano Prefecture. Wednesday, October 8, 2025 The Yatsugatake mountain range is visible directly ahead. From Sudama IC, it takes about an hour and a half to get to Shirakoma Pond on the local roads. Shirakoma Pond is located in the Yatsugatake mountain range. As we climb higher in altitude, the trees are turning yellow. 😊 We arrived at Shirakoma Pond’s paid parking lot (600 yen). It’s a weekday, and the forecast is cloudy, so it seems less crowded than usual. This is my fourth year in a row coming to Shirakoma Pond to see the autumn leaves. This year, the scorching heat will make it difficult to see the autumn foliage on the plains, but the TV news said that this will be a great year for autumn foliage in the high mountains. Now, let’s start our walk with excitement! It’s a 15-minute walk from the parking lot to Shirakoma Pond. “Shirakoma Pond Entrance. Seitai-so, Shirakoma-so, Takamiishi Hut.” I learned from Shirakoma-so’s Instagram that the autumn leaves were at their peak. “Moss and Primeval Forest Around Shirakoma Pond” MAP Today, after walking around Shirakoma Pond, I plan to climb Takamiishi. My legs have been feeling good lately, so I’ll give it my best! Shirakoma Pond is located in a primeval forest that is considered one of Japan’s three largest primeval forests. The forest has been recognized by the academic community as “Japan’s Precious Moss Forest.” Apparently, there are 518 different types of moss growing in the Yatsugatake Mountains. 😮 A typhoon was approaching, and cloudy skies were forecast, but it turned out to be sunny unexpectedly. 😃 Fallen leaves on moss. 😊 “Shirakoma Forest” I found a tiny mushroom! This is the path to Takamiishi, but first, we’ll go around Shirakoma Pond. The birdsong is so lovely! 😊 It takes 35 minutes to circle Shirakoma Pond, and 45 minutes to reach Takamiishi from here. Finally, the pond is in sight! 😃 No wind, perfect! 👍 Shirakoma Pond is the largest lake in Japan at an elevation above 2,100 meters. The water is 8.6m deep and 5.8m clear. 😃 Apparently, sskaters once used the frozen pond in winter for practice. Enjoy the view of the pond from the gazebo! Wow! 😃 This year may indeed be a great year for autumn leaves. 😊 The light from the water’s surface is reflecting off the leaves. 😃 This is definitely the best autumn foliage I’ve seen in years! The first time I visited here was probably 25 years ago. It was in the fall 25 years ago, when I came to Tateshina from Tokyo for sightseeing. When I asked the innkeeper for recommended tourist spots, she recommended, “It seems like the autumn leaves at Shirakoma Pond are at their peak right now.” I don’t remember the autumn leaves at all, but for some reason, I still remember my conversation with the innkeeper very vividly. Shirakoma-so. I think I’ll stay there next year. 🤔 The best time to see the autumn leaves varies by about 10 days each year, and since it’s a popular mountain hut, it seems like it would be very difficult to make a reservation. 😅 If that’s the case, how about a snowy winter? 🤔 Amazing view! 👍 Aquatic plants and autumn leaves! 👍 You can see the boat dock for Seitai-so. This aquatic plant, called the narrow-leaved kelp, is apparently a rare find that’s hard to find anywhere else. A natural mirror ball 😃 Now, let’s walk counterclockwise around the pond along the promenade to the boat dock at Seitai-so! That’s right, let’s stay at Shirakoma-so in winter and enjoy the starry sky and the sunrise over the snowy landscape! But I’m pretty sure the roads around here are closed in the winter. . . 🤔 You can also climb to Takamiishi this way, but it’s quite steep, so I don’t recommend it. It’s not only steep, but also slippery, and I’ve seen many people fall. 😱 Today, I’m going to take the gentler route to Takamiishi! Around here, you can see several giant trees fallen into the pond. The fallen trees create a mystical atmosphere. The boat launch and this fallen tree area are two of my favorite places. You can also see fallen trees in the water. It’s a mystical, almost dreamlike beauty. You can see the roots of the fallen giant tree. It must have taken root in the moss growing on the rocks. And now, moss on the fallen tree… It’s like looking at a picture in a frame… Zooming in makes no sense 😅 Another fallen tree. In populated areas, fallen trees are removed the same day. So, seeing fallen trees left as they are can be a sense of the extraordinary, and it can evoke a variety of emotions. What did you think of the fallen tree area? It’s a mysterious, fantastical beauty. 😊 I can see the hiking trail to Nyu. I won’t be climbing today, but I plan to next time. I heard you can see Mt. Fuji from the summit. ✌️ I moved to Fujikawaguchiko Town from Tokyo three years ago. Fujikawaguchiko Town is a tourist destination, but I love tourist destinations. Everyone is smiling at tourist spots. Seeing people smiling makes me smile too. Smiles are contagious! Maybe I go sightseeing because I want to smile. “Mononoke Forest” The world of the Ghibli film “Princess Mononoke” 😃 I think cloudy days probably create a more atmospheric effect 😅 Perhaps color grading would have made it look more atmospheric, but I don’t edit the footage. There’s no background music, and I didn’t add any bird chirps. If it’s a 30-minute walk video, I share it unedited and uncut. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. 😅 However, with the increasing number of videos created using AI, I want to focus on realistic footage. Just a walk on a sunny day with a beautiful view. ✌️ I would be so happy if people could watch this video and feel like they were actually walking the trail. 😃 Even if I filmed it, if it was cloudy or the view was disappointing, I wouldn’t share it. I feel like I can share today’s video with confidence. 👍 Another signpost for the fork in the road is in sight. Going right leads to Yachiho Plateau. Next up, we’re heading to Seitai-so! At Seitai-so, you can stay overnight in the inn or even camp. Reservations are required. You can pitch your tent on this board. It was built almost entirely by hand in 1963, sleeping in tents. Seitai-so (Blue Moss Hut) You can watch footage of the boat dock on YouTube (Seitai-so Live Camera) ✌️ The camera is installed on the left. The dead tree is magical! 😊 Amazing! 😃 Again! 😊 This year is a great year for autumn leaves! 😊 Shirakoma-so. Fallen tree area. Rare aquatic plants. The boat has set sail. Shirakoma Pond’s idol, “Kokemaru(Mossy)” 😊 After going around Shirakoma Pond, we climbed Takamiishi! From here, it’s 45 minutes uphill and 30 minutes downhill. “Kokemaru(Mossy)” 😊 Moss is thickly covering the fallen tree. It’s a 185m climb from Shirakoma Pond to Takamiishi. Mugikusa Pass is on the right. There’s free parking at Mugikusa Pass. Almost there until Takamiishi Hut. I was worried, but my legs feel great. Takamiishi Hut is in sight! If someone asked me, “Why do you climb Takamiishi?” I would answer, “To eat the famous deep-fried bread.” ✌️ By the way, just before Takamiishi, I met a lovely young man with a smile. I wonder if he also eats deep-fried bread. 🤔 They say it’s not cooked in a special way, but it’s definitely delicious. Deep-fried bread, deep-fried bread 🧡🧡🧡 Deep-fried bread T-shirt. It’s called the Star and Lamp Hut. Takamiishi Hut. There’s the young man I met earlier! ✌️ He’s also eating fried bread! 👍 The fried bread and coffee were both delicious! Let’s climb Takamiishi! The young man is already attacking. I climbed halfway up. I had a bit of trouble climbing, since I was using one hand to hold the camera, even though I should have been using three points of support. 😅 The smiling young man is so kind. 👍 I made it to the top! Oh no, the soles of the young man’s shoes are peeling off! 😱 He makes everyone around him smile, no matter how tough the times. 👍👍 I was able to see Shirakoma Pond with a smile on my face! 🙏 Smiles are contagious! 😊 I may forget how beautiful the autumn leaves were today, but I’ll never forget the smile I had here! 👍 I’m heading down the mountain with a smile on my face! The wind has died down since the morning, so we decide to head to the pond again. We descend the same gentle route as on the way up. It’s almost windless now, and the reflections on the water are beautiful.👍 Let’s take another look at the pond from the gazebo! Blue skies, white clouds, perfect autumn leaves, and the perfect reflections on the water. I’d like to end this video with a smile, enjoying the spectacular view. Thank you for watching this video until the end. See you in the next video! 😊

Today I visited Shirakoma Pond in the Northern Yatsugatake Mountains of Nagano Prefecture.
With a typhoon approaching, cloudy skies were forecast, but I was able to enjoy a walk under clear blue skies.
I also climbed Takamiishi, a rock formation that offers a view of Shirakoma Pond from high up.

Shirakoma Pond is the largest lake in Japan at an altitude of over 2,100m.
It is located in a primeval forest that is counted among Japan’s three largest primeval forests, and has also been certified as a precious moss forest.

This year, there are concerns about leaf scorch in the low-lying plains due to the extreme heat, but in the higher mountains, this is said to be the best year for autumn foliage since 2014.

00:00 Opening
00:50 View from the Car Window (Yatsugatake Mountain Range)
01:23 Shirakoma Pond, Paid Parking Lot
03:04 Signpost, Mugisawa Pass
04:22 Signpost, Takamiishi
05:00 Shirakomi Pond, Gazebo
07:40 Shirakomi Lodge – Boat Landing
11:08 Signpost, Takamiishi
12:03 Giant Trees Fallen in the Pond
14:30 Signpost, New
15:58 Mononoke Forest – Signpost, Yachiho Plateau
18:36 Seitai-so – Boat Landing
25:04 To Takamiishi
26:55 Signpost, Mugisawa Pass
28:02 Takamiishi Hut – Local Specialty “Deep-fried bread”
30:31 View from Takamiishi: “A Spectacular View of Shirakoma Pond”
32:53 The wind has died down, and Shirakoma Pond offers beautiful reflections.

Shooting date: October 9, 2025

Official Website
Nagano Prefecture Sakuho Town Tourism Association https://yachiho-kogen.jp/article/shirakomanoike/
Shirakomano-so https://yachiho-montblanc.com/
Seitai-sou https://seitaisou.jp/
Takamiishi Hut https://takamiishi.com/

Watch more:
🔴Autumn Foliage at Shirakoma Pond 2024 https://youtu.be/GwyWereaH54

*Google Translate was used for the translation. The translation may not be accurate.
*The information in the video may not be 100% accurate.

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