Kayaking on Lake Motosu

Enjoying water sports at the foot of Mount Fuji

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

You can see the volcanic rock in the background

No Fuji view today, because the sky was too hazy

There were windsurfers and paddle boarders on the lake too

A pair of kayakers head out to open water

If you own a kayak, where do you take it? I realize not many people have this problem, but several years ago I impulsively acquired an inflatable kayak. I used it on Lake Biwa a few times, but then I moved to Tokyo. One good option near Tokyo is Lake Motosu, one of the Fuji Five Lakes. On a summer day you can find kayakers, wind surfers and paddle boarders there. Except for the cute swan boat ferrying tourists back and forth there were no motorized boats on the lake. A parking area with a grassy area beside the lake and a shallow stony beach made setting up and launching easy. Sadly the haze completely hid Mount Fuji, but on clear days Lake Motosu offers a great view of the mountain. Another good place for kayaking is nearby Lake Saiko.