Five lakes, five colours: fresh, brackish and salt water side by side.
From the Rainbow Line viewpoint, on Mount Umegatoge, you see five lakes together that are not alike: Mikata is freshwater, Suigetsu is the largest and has a deep layer rich in hydrogen sulphide, Suga is the smallest and a winter destination for waterbirds, Kugushi and Hiruga are brackish or salt, open to the sea. The shades of blue you see from above come from this very mix of different waters side by side.
A national Place of Scenic Beauty since 1937, a Ramsar wetland since 2005 for its international importance as a waterbird habitat, and since 2015 part of the Japanese cultural heritage ‘Miketsukuni Wakasa and the Mackerel Road’. The Rainbow Line scenic road, opened in 1968, became toll-free on 1 October 2022 after decades as a toll road.
ℹ️ Summit park open 9:00–17:00 (March–November) and 9:00–16:30 (December–February); adult ticket 1,000 yen, children 500 (includes ropeway/chairlift). The scenic road is open 8:00–18:00, closed at night. It straddles the municipalities of Mihama and Wakasa.
Holidays in Japan? Plan them with us.Over 2,000 real places, a day-by-day itinerary.FreeOpen the map →Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · mikatagoko.com
Nearby
Obama Hōjō-e17.7 kmphoto by Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain
Kehi no Matsubara19 kmphoto by 663highland · CC BY 2.5
Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum20 kmphoto by 663highland · CC BY 2.5