Kinrin-ko (Lake Kinrin) is a small but beautiful lake located just north of Yufuin. The lake is particularly famous for its morning atmosphere when the mist slowly lifts and the sun peeks over the surrounding peaks of Mount Yufu.
I didn’t want to miss that. Thanks partly to the poor weather, I didn’t have much time to experience nature on this trip. Originally, I wanted to go hiking in the Yufu massif. But the distances were longer and the terrain more difficult than I had imagined, so I just made a quick detour to the lake.
Morning mood at Lake Kinrin
I was lucky and the weather was fantastic! I was there early enough to see the sun begin to warm up and slowly drive away the fog. A few lazy goldfish were floating in the lake and a lonely heron posed for me. Just like in a very cheesy film.
There were a few tourists, but overall it wasn’t too crowded. I walked around the lake once (maybe it took 20 minutes). Unfortunately, the café on the shore was still closed. The Japanese aren’t morning people! Then I headed back through the still very sleepy streets of Yufuin, where the camellias were already in full bloom. Back at the ryokan, a fantastic breakfast was waiting for me, completely prepared by the innkeeper. It was soooooo good!
I tried to cuddle with Assi, who however was a bit grumpy. I was looking forward to the rest of the day. I can highly recommend the short trip to anyone in the area to unwind and enjoy some beautiful nature.