Lake Ashi
| Lake Ashi 芦ノ湖 | |
|---|---|
Lake Ashi and Hakone Shrine | |
Lake Ashi 芦ノ湖 | |
| Location | Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshū |
| Coordinates | 35°12′35″N 139°0′16″E / 35.20972°N 139.00444°E |
| Basin countries | Japan |
| Surface area | 7.03 km2 (2.71 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Max. depth | 43.5 m (143 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 21.1 km (13.1 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 723 m (2,372 ft) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Ashi (芦ノ湖, Ashi-no-ko), also known as Hakone Lake or Ashinoko Lake, is a scenic lake in the Hakone area of Kanagawa Prefecture on Honshū, Japan. It is a crater lake situated along the southwestern wall of the caldera of Mount Hakone, a complex volcano that last erupted in 1170 CE at Ōwakudani. The lake is known for its views of Mount Fuji, its numerous hot springs, historic sites, and traditional ryokan. It lies along the historic Tōkaidō road, the main route linking Kyoto and Tokyo. Pleasure boats and ferries operate on the lake, several of which are styled after sailing warships.
Many visitors to Lake Ashi stay in nearby hotels or ryokan while visiting local attractions. A campsite is located at the northern end of the lake. Hakone Shrine, which has been visited by shōgun, samurai, and travelers for centuries, is situated along the shore, and large sections of the Old Tōkaidō road are preserved in the area. Onshi Park, established in 1886 as a summer retreat for the imperial family, is now open to the public.
The lake’s name means "lake of reeds" in Japanese, from 芦 (ashi, "reed") and 湖 (ko, "lake"). Its surrounding natural environment makes it popular with hikers, and numerous trails of varying difficulty are found in the area.
Lake Ashi drains via the Fukara Aqueduct toward Susono, Shizuoka, following its completion in 1670, rather than into the Haya River toward Odawara, Kanagawa.