Lake Kagami-ike is one of those places that ended up on our "next time" list in Nagano, but I'm including it because it looks too good to leave out - especially since it recently went viral for something wild. Apparently, at certain times, the lake transforms into what looks exactly like a dragon's eye! The natural phenomenon happens when the water level and lighting conditions are just right, creating this incredible eye-like effect with the reflection of the surrounding landscape.

From what we've heard, even without the dragon eye effect, this mirror-like pond lives up to its name ('kagami' means mirror in Japanese), perfectly reflecting the Togakushi mountains like a natural camera.

You've got options to get there - either the easy way by car, or the more adventurous route hiking through the forest from Okusha shrine. There's this place called Donguri House nearby that supposedly serves amazing soba gallettes, which sounds like the perfect reward after a trek to the lake.

Just a heads up if you're planning a winter visit - you'll need snowshoes or skis to reach it. But imagine those mountain reflections (or maybe a dragon eye!) with a snowy backdrop! This is definitely on our must-see list for our next trip to Nagano. If any of you make it there, let me know if you catch the dragon eye effect!