Kuni District, Nakanojo Town, Gunma Prefecture
A visit to Lake Nozori A mountain lake beyond the yellow flowers
In summer, you’ll want to visit Lake Nozori for the Nozori daylilies, in bloom from early to mid-July. Park near Nozori Pass, step out of the car and take in the lake beyond the yellow flowers. It sounds wonderful to take in the flowers up close, then let your gaze travel to the distant lake, ringed by mountains.
Nozori daylilies are at their best from early to mid-July. From a walking path near Nozori Pass, you can take in the flower-covered slope and the lake all at once.
SummerEarly July, on an afternoon with sunny spells
A mountain lake beyond the yellow flowers
I parked near Nozori Pass and walked toward a place where I could see the lake. Underfoot, the path was a mix of dirt and small stones. After a short walk, I looked up and saw Lake Nozori spread out between the mountains. I wasn’t right beside the water; I was looking down at the lakeshore from a slope. The shoreline jutted out into the lake on the right, and the water stretched away beyond it. At the end of the mountain road I’d climbed, such a wide-open view was waiting for me.
I was wearing a slightly cropped white top, a khaki cargo skirt and black boots. I stopped to look, moving my little bag aside. Yellow flowers were blooming on the grassy slope to the left of the path. At Lake Nozori, they’re called Nozori daylilies. I looked at a single flower at the tip of a stem, then noticed more behind it, one after another. I’d planned to keep my eyes on the lake, but here, there was plenty to admire close by, too.
Still facing the flowers, I shifted a little on the path. Flowers nearby, the lake beyond, mountains in the distance. Changing the order I looked at them in could make for a completely different photo, even from the same spot. I took my phone out of my bag, but before checking the screen, I looked at the view once more. I couldn’t decide whether to fit the wide view into one shot or move in close to capture the flowers. Maybe I’ll start with the lake as I see it from here.
The clouds drifted slowly, and patches of sunlight moved across the water. Looking at the lake between the green mountains made the sky feel vast. Lake Nozori sits at an elevation of 1500 m and has a circumference of 12 km. Today, I’d rather linger on this slope, taking in the flowers and lake, than make a full circuit. After crouching to look at the flowers, I stood up—and the lake seemed vast all over again.
By the time I got back to the car, I had so much I wanted to tell my friend. I wanted to show her more than just the yellow-flower photos: the curve of that shoreline and the water stretching between the mountains, too. On the way back, I’d look for Kuni flower beans to take home. Wouldn’t it be nice to look through today’s photos together while snacking on those sweet, simmered beans? I’d love to listen to “ROUTE 1 - ASHINOKO” again—the song I picked on the way to the lake—with this place in mind.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Photos of this place1 images
-
Kuni District, Nakanojo Town, Gunma Prefecture · Summer
Local specialties to try
Kuni flower beans
Flower beans grow large in the highlands and are a specialty of Kuni. I’d pick up some sweetened flower beans as a souvenir. They’d be just the thing to nibble on while I look through my photos at home.
Highlights
Nozori daylilies and the lake
From the slope covered in yellow flowers, a lake ringed by mountains comes into view. I thought I’d keep my eyes on the lake, but soon I was torn: I wanted to photograph the flowers nearby, too. Before I even looked at my phone screen, I wanted to take in the view with my own eyes once more.
A view from near Nozori Pass
Take in the shoreline jutting into the lake and the mountain ridges stretching into the distance. It’s a summer stop made for walking a little, then pausing to enjoy the view.
Lake size and elevation
Lake Nozori
- Lake circumference
- 12km
- Lake elevation
- 1500m
A lake surrounded by mountains. In summer, you’ll want to see the Nozori daylilies along the shore, too.
The 12 km figure is the lake’s circumference; 1500 m is its elevation. These figures aren’t the length of a driving route or a walking trail, so use them as a guide when choosing how to take in the views and explore on foot.
More Spot Guides
If you enjoyed this story, you might like these places too. I've gone back to each of them in different seasons, again and again.
