PLACES OF INTEREST:Okaya Lakeside Park
The starting point of the Tenryu River, which connects Lake Suwa to the Pacific Ocean, is the Kamaguchi Watergate. A long time ago before the watergate's construction, there was a small island known for it's beautiful view called Bentenjima, which even Katsushika Hokusai drew. Now in this area you'll find the Okaya Lakeside Park, which was built to commemorate Prince Hironomiya (Naruhito) and Princess Masako's royal wedding. There is also a bronze statue, monument and music box dedicated to Okaya's Taro Oguchi who wrote the song, Biwako Shuko No Uta. The Fountain on the Lake shoots up to a height of 55 meters and is beautifully lit up at night. In the spring a row of cherry trees come to full bloom. And a playground features a variety of activities for the children. It's a park we can enjoy during any season.
A 20 minute walk from Okaya Station
