Lake Okutama-ko is an artificial lake formed by Ogouchi Da. The large lake is the largest source of water for Tokyo city. It also captures a nice harmony of natural beauty and man-man structures. Here, you can see cherry blossoms in spring, beautiful greens in summer, colorful leaves in fall, and the frosty snow scape in winter.

After a scenic walk around Okutama Lake, we cross the road and begin a 15 mins walk up to Aomedachi Fudoson rest house to have lunch. It was an easy route up with no steps, and you will soon reach the tranquil rest house where you get to eat their homemade soba noodles from scratch using the clear water from Okutama lake! It is accompanied by side dishes cooked using local ingredients by the resident soba master.

From Okutama Station bus stop, we took a bus to Higashi Nippara bus stop and visited the Nippara Limestone Cave. Discovered in 1963, it is one of the biggest cave in Kanto area.

When you travel at Okutama, I recommend that you spend at least a night there so that you can take your time to slowly explore this quiet and mountainous town off Tokyo. So if you are finding a place to stay, I highly recommend Hatonosuso at Hatonosu Station.

Immerse yourself in nature can certainly be relaxing, but who is to say you can't also have some fun. If you're feeling adventurous, alight at Mitake Station and visit the canoe school to participate in water activities like rafting, hydrospeed, canyoning and river SUP (Stand Up Paddle board). They have swim suits and sports sandals for you.

Okutama is home to several onsen (hot springs). Among them, Mikawa-ya is located near Okutama station. It is open to the public. Thereafter, have the traditional Japanese bento.