Have you ever wondered where do those images installed in the computers came from? Well, one of the photos used by Apple in their OS X Mountain Lion launched in 2012 can be found here in Hokkaido. Since its global release, the aquamarine pond located in Biei, Hokkaido has caught the attention of many tourists.

The Blue Pond or Aoiike is an artificial pond created brought by the eruption of the nearby volcano Mt. Tokachi in 1988. The government decided to construct a dam on Biei River to protect the region from mudflows if ever the volcano erupts again. The accumulation of the water blocked by the dam in the forest lead to the formation of the blue pond.

The aluminum hydroxide dissolved in the water gives the water the ability to reflect the shorter wavelength blue light. This made the pond appear deep blue in color when viewed from the land, however the color itself is not visible in the water itself.

From the provided parking lot, the pond is reachable by about 10 minute walk into the forest. I have visited the Blue Pond or Aoiike three times already and there’s something ethereal about the place. The protruding tree stumps from the surface of the water has added to the enchanting atmosphere of the scenery.