Lake Murou and Haibara Fureai Square
Walk the reservoir landscape, watch trees meet the water, and look for a centuries-old carving only when the level permits.
Verified site photographs are being prepared.Discover Lake Murou and Haibara Fureai Square
Lake Murou is the reservoir of Murou Dam, not a natural lake with a continuous recreational shore. Uda City points visitors toward Haibara Fureai Square, where round-leaved willow trees can stand in water and reflect on the lake. Nearby Nure Jizo, a thirteenth-century cliff-carved image, may appear or disappear as the dam is operated. The changing waterline is the point of this visit, but it also makes any promise of a particular photograph or view unreliable.
Start with the public square
Uda City's lake guide identifies the Fureai Square area in Haibara Yamabe San as a place to see willows and their reflections. It lists a free parking area, but the linked city map should be used to find the actual lot rather than driving to the centre of our lake pin. The shores are irregular and operational land is not automatically open for walking; choose the marked public paths and viewpoints.
Understand the Nure Jizo story
The Water Resources Agency describes a Jizo Bodhisattva carved into the rock in the Kamakura period and dated by an inscription to 1254. The name is associated with water once led from the hillside onto the image. Since the dam was completed in 1974, reservoir operation has submerged the carving at higher water and revealed it at lower water. Uda City places it near Fureai Square. Visibility is variable even within a usual season, so check the dam manager's current water-level information and never descend an unsafe bank to force a view.
Use the managed walking route
The dam manager describes a roughly three-hour Fukatani Gorge walk from Murou Dam toward Murou-ji, following the Fukatani River and passing the Ryuchin Falls area. Some slopes are steep, and rain can raise the stream quickly; insects are also noted on this route. This is a separate hike rather than a ten-minute lakeside circuit. A shorter visit can stay around the public square and road-accessible views, with return transport arranged in advance.
Respect a working water supply
The Water Resources Agency's lake rules prohibit swimming, open fires and barbecue around the reservoir and restrict entry and fishing in specified dam sections. The rules also address boats and anglers. Do not infer that a scenic lake is a place for swimming or casual boating; consult the manager and relevant fishing association before any such activity. Keep clear of operating structures and take litter away.
Plan the right stop, not just the nearest pin
The dam office and the Fureai Square/lake landscape are different points. The manager gives the dam office about two kilometres or twenty minutes on foot from Kintetsu Murouguchi-Ono Station; that estimate does not describe the walk to Fureai Square. Uda City gives the lake area as Haibara Yamabe San and links a separate parking map. The Water Resources Agency also publishes a current reservoir-level page; check it before setting out to see Nure Jizo, then use the marked public viewpoint rather than an unverified shore route.
What to look for
Willow reflections around Haibara Fureai Square
Nure Jizo cliff carving that changes with the water level
Gateway to a longer Fukatani Gorge walk
Photo notes
No agency or city image has been licensed for MyNara. Photograph from public paths and the square, allowing for changing waterline, trees and weather. Do not step down an unstable shore, enter operational areas or launch a drone without checking the dam manager's current rules.
Make a day of it
Explore guides close to this map point, then check the actual route before travelling. Distances below are straight lines, not walking distances or travel times; map points may not be entrances.
Sources & editorial status
Original MyNara draft based on the linked sources. Sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Opening arrangements, prices and offers may change; use the operator's current information before travelling.