Legend has it that a “water monster” lurks here, casting an air of mystery over Lake Ikeda in Kumamoto

▲ Lake Ikeda.

Reported & photographed by Yutoru / Kyushu

Like Scotland’s Loch Ness, Lake Ikeda in Kyushu is shrouded in numerous water monster legends. Though tales vary widely, no one has actually seen the creature—yet the once serene and elegant Lake Ikeda has taken on an aura of mystery.


▲ The calm surface is tranquil and beautiful.

Lake Ikeda is a volcanic lake located in the southeastern part of the Satsuma Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Formed by a volcanic eruption 64,000 years ago, it is the largest lake on Kyushu Island and is also within Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park. With a surface elevation of 66 meters and a depth of up to 233 meters, the lake’s surface is smooth and undisturbed, yet beneath it lies a volcano approximately 800 meters in diameter and 150 meters high.

There are various theories about the “water monster” of Lake Ikeda. Yuki Hara, a staff member of the Ibusuki City Tourism Association, noted that the legend began after people reported seeing a huge object that frightened them. However, based on timelines, locals believe this so-called “monster” is likely just the large wild eels native to the well-preserved lake, occasionally surfacing and mistaken for something more mysterious.


▲ Locals waterskiing on Lake Ikeda.
%The large eels in the lake are also a major attraction.%


Yuki Hara mentioned that the most beautiful time to visit Lake Ikeda is from January to April each year, when fields of rapeseed flowers bloom. The vast yellow rapeseed flowers stretch out with Mount Kaimon visible in the distance and the azure lake in the foreground—many postcards and promotional posters are shot here.

Lake Ikeda
Address: Lake Ikeda Shore, Ibusuki City, Kagoshima Prefecture
 
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