Lake Saroma Lookout That narrow sandbar in the distance separates the lake and sea

I arrived at the lookout on Mount Horoiwa on a clear summer morning. When I opened the front of my pale blue jacket, the breeze reached my white top. I rested both hands on the wooden railing and looked at the lake beyond the forest.

Water spread to both left and right, and at first I couldn’t tell how far the lake went. Following the shoreline from the right, I began to see a narrow strip of land in the distance. So this was its shape. I couldn’t help looking again.

Apparently that narrow sandbar separates the lake from the Sea of Okhotsk. The water before me, and the sea farther beyond. I could match what I remembered from the map to the landscape in front of me, which made the view even more enjoyable.

The forest leaves moved in front of me, while the distant lake looked still. Feeling the wood of the railing under my hands, I enjoyed the contrast. It was lovely to come somewhere high during the hot season and feel the breeze like this.

I wanted to fit a broad sweep of the lake into a photo, so I raised the camera. But before taking another, I lowered my hands and looked as far as the bend in the shore. Next time, I’d like to get a sense of the lake’s size from the shore too.