Walking along the shore of Lake Biwa ( Biwako in Japanese) reminds me much of Lake Huron's shores in northern Michigan - sand and gravel beach and crystal clear water.
Biwako supplies water for 14 million people in the region and although it might appear pristine at first encounter, it still faces ongoing threats, particularly in the area of nutrient enrichment / eutrophication.
Some fun facts on Biwako from various sources:
Area - 670 sq km
Max depth 104 m
Age ~4 million years
Origin Tectonic
Biwa is named after a stringed Japanese musical instrument because it resembles the shape of this item
58 endemic species; 60 fish species(12 endemic)
460 stream tributaries; outlet is Seta River that empties into Pacific Ocean at Osaka
Wow Mike, these photos are beautiful! Thanks for sharing your experiences on such a cool trip.
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