The Scenic Ponds of Mount Haku

Mount Haku (Hakusan, maximum elevation 2,702 meters) is dotted with ponds of various sizes. The largest of these, Midorigaike, is located near the peak. So are various others, including Aburagaike and Kon’yagaike. Climbers enjoy making the rounds of the ponds, walking through the mountain’s snow-covered ravines.

According to legend, the Buddhist monk Taichō—who is credited with having established Mount Haku as a worship site in the eighth century—trapped a thousand snakes from the mountain in a pond that he covered with snow. Almost all of the ponds are in fact thought to be the result of volcanic activity, including Midorigaike, which is believed to be in a crater produced by an eruption in 1042.

(Originally published in Japanese. Created in cooperation with Kanazawa Cable Television.)