Kotokunuma Swamp

This small protected wetland inside Nikko National Park, about 300 meters around, sits on the trail toward lakes Kirikomi and Karikomi. A year-round spring feeds the swamp with water so cold it never exceeds 15 degrees even in midsummer, which allows baikamo to bloom, a rare aquatic wildflower that cannot survive in warmer water. The white blossoms cover the surface from late spring into summer. In autumn the swamp reflects the surrounding birch and oak forest in fall color. Gnarled zumi crabapple trees grow around the edges, their twisted forms easy to identify by the water. The site is off the main tourist paths and worth adding to any hike through this section of the park.