Lake Motosu, Landslide-dammed lake in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Lake Motosu is a landslide-dammed body of water in Yamanashi Prefecture at the base of Mount Fuji. It covers approximately 4.7 square kilometers and reaches depths of around 121 meters, surrounded by forested hills and the dominant volcanic peak.
The lake formed through volcanic processes when lava flows from Mount Fuji separated it from a larger water system that once included Lakes Shoji and Sai. This geological separation happened thousands of years ago and shaped the basin as it exists today.
The lake's inverted reflection of Mount Fuji was engraved on the reverse of the Series D 5,000-yen note and the Series E 1,000-yen note. The anime series Laid-Back Camp features the lake, and visitor numbers rose after its first season aired. Haruki Murakami's novel 1Q84 opens with a scene set on the lake.
Lake Motosu has no inflowing rivers, and since March 2006 motorboats and jet skis have been banned, so the surface stays calm for windsurfing and fishing. The lake does not freeze in winter, as its water never drops below 4 °C. The first Saturday of June brings the annual Lake Motosu Cleanup.
Underground waterways beneath the lake connect it to neighboring lakes Shoji and Sai, forming a hidden network. This concealed geology shows that the three lakes remain connected despite their surface separation.
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