It has been such a long time since my last post. However, I have been so busy! There's so much I would like to write about, such as my trip to Sapporo, my daughter turning 3 years old, and more, but today I am going to talk about a short, pleasant surprise that reminded me to slow down and smell the roses.
Today, I want to talk about Tama and Sayama Lake! Tama and Sayama Lake are two fresh-water reservoirs located in Northern Tokyo and Saitama. From my location in Yokohama, it took about an hour and a half to travel to Tamako Station. Once arriving at Tamako station, the reservoir was a short 3-minute walk away.
Lake Tama is known as a famous spot for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves and is a popular place for relaxing. It was constructed between 1923 and 1923, and many people visit for bird watching and to see the ruins of Jomon-style dwellings.
It was amazing seeing such a big, still body of water with lush nature surrounding it. I couldn't believe we were still in Tokyo. Although there was a festival at the park that day, there were many families from the neighboring town and bikers. There were little to no crowds and my friend and I were able to enjoy a peaceful picnic while looking at the vast, blue water.
After our picnic, we went down to the festival and enjoyed some gelato and the perfect fall weather. All the leaves had yet to change, but I believe it will be even more beautiful once all the leaves change.
Since it was still quite early, my friend and I decided to visit the Saitama side of the lake. We took a very short train ride on the cutest people mover called the Leo Liner. We walked up a steep hill for about 10 minutes before we reached the river.
I was left speechless because this side was even more peaceful and beautiful. We walked along the long walkway on the edge of the reservoir.
Sayama Lake straddles the border between Tokorozawa City and Iruma City, located in the south-central part of Saitama Prefecture. This artificial lake was completed in 1933 as a water reservoir for Tokyo, and its official name is the "Yamaguchi Reservoir''.
My friend and I sat and talked before we found out that there was a lot of "forest" that inspired the Ghibli film Totoro, which was inspired by the nearby Sayama Hills area. We sat off to explore and soon found one of the Totoro Forest!
We also found a bike rental stand and decided to ride bikes. Fortunately, sunset was approaching so we were able to ride bikes through the park and near the riverside with the sun setting and Mt. Fuji in the background!
If you are looking for a serene getaway that's not too far or expensive, look into visiting Tama and Sayama Lake in Autumn for Autumn foliage or Spring for Cherry blossoms!
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