Lake Kanana is an artificial reservoir created by the Shimokubo Dam, spanning across Fujioka City in Gunma Prefecture and Kamikawa Town in Kodama District, Saitama Prefecture.
Nestled in the not-so-deep mountains and just a short drive from Second Son’s childhood home, he recalls being taken there by Grandpa several times.
Since he started driving, he has occasionally come for black bass fishing, but nowadays, it’s merely a place passed through when visiting Ueno Village and Kanana Town upstream.
Lake Kanana is home to a diverse range of fish species. Popular fishing targets like black bass, rainbow trout, cherry salmon, and carp, among others, thrive in its waters, along with most freshwater fish commonly found in the surrounding areas.
Downstream of the dam lies the picturesque Sanbaishi Gorge, designated as a natural monument.
On this day, after about a decade, Second Son decided to visit Sanbaishi Gorge, hoping to witness its autumn colors. However, perhaps due to insufficient research, he arrived a bit early in early November, slightly disappointed that it wasn’t the optimal time for vibrant foliage (laughs).
Instead, he was surprised to find the parking lot at Shiromine Park, overlooking Lake Kanana, overflowing with cars. Later, he learned that every last Sunday of October, Kamikawa Town hosts a winter cherry blossom event.
The renowned winter cherry blossoms in this area can be observed at Shiromine Park near Lake Kanana and Sakurayama Park in Fujioka City, on the opposite bank. These captivating blossoms delight visitors until around December. Sakurayama Park boasts a larger scale with approximately 7,000 cherry trees and is designated as a natural monument by the government.
After a long time, Second Son found solace in the winter cherry blossoms of Lake Kanana and Shiromine Park as he looked down from Shiromine.
