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Kinrinko Lake

Well knownIn most guidebooks for this region — but rarely with the practical detail.

調査・執筆 Hinato

Lake Kinrinmorning mistphotographyhot spring lakeYufuin

Photo: そらみみ / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · original

Lake Kinrin (金鱗湖, 'Lake of Golden Fish Scales') is a small spring-fed lake at the eastern edge of Yufuin town that produces ethereal morning mist year-round due to underground hot springs warming the water from below. When cold air meets the warm lake surface, mist rises in thick layers — creating a dreamlike scene particularly beautiful when backlit by dawn sun.

The lake is only 400 meters in circumference but contains both hot spring vents and cold spring sources, creating temperature gradients that sustain unique aquatic ecosystems.

基本情報

営業時間

Lake access 24/7. Tsukanoma Cafe 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

定休日: Open year-round

料金

Free. Parking ¥500 (limited spaces).

ベストシーズン

October–March (pre-sunrise dawn 6:00–8:00) for thickest morning mist; position on east shore for backlit mist photography

滞在目安

30–45 minutes for lakeside circuit; extend to 90 minutes for morning mist photography and café coffee

アクセス

アクセス情報

1561-1 Yufuin-cho Kawakami, Yufu City. A short walk east from Yufuin Station. Free access 24/7. Lakeside path: 15-minute circuit. Nearby parking ¥500 (limited).

インサイダーガイド

**Mist photography timing:** The mist is most dramatic October–March when air temperature drops below 10°C. Arrive 30 minutes before sunrise (check sunrise time seasonally). Position on the east shore to shoot westward — mist backlit by dawn creates golden atmosphere. The mist dissipates by 9:00am as air warms. **Tsukanoma Cafe:** Yufu as backdrop. Morning coffee (¥500) and thick pancakes (¥900) allow lingering over the view after mist photography. **Off-season advantage:** Summer (July–August) has minimal mist due to warm nighttime temperatures, making the lake less photogenic. Visit in shoulder seasons (April–May, September–November) when mist still occurs but Yufuin's tourist crowds are smaller than winter peak.

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