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Welcome to Lake Tama !
Lake Tama is the symbol of Higashiyamato City. It was formed by damming up a river running through a Sayama hills valley. The Lake now serves as reservoirs (Kami Chosuichi and Shimo Chosuichi), and each of them is provided with a dam. This man-made lake and a nearby source forest occupy about a quarter of the whole area of Higashiyamato City.
The waters of the Tama River are preserved in Lake Tama for Tokyo, and are sent to remote water purification plants through the Lake’s water towers.
The construction of the lake dam began in 1916, and it was actually almost handwork. It took more than 10 years to finish this task. The Lake finally saw the completion of the dam creation in 1927.
At the time of the start of the dam project, there were seven villages at the foot of the river valley mentioned above. The people there had led pleasant, comfortable lives on agriculture. However, they had to leave their habitats due to the “lake development”. There is the Keisho-mon Gate situated to the north of the Kami Entei upper section of the dam. It is the gate to the Keisyo-in Temple now located at 6-chome, Imokubo. This temple gate has remained intact as a “conveyer” of those old days of the villagers’ easy living.
Lake Tama can also be found in the “Shin Tokyo Hyakkei” (100 new scenic spots of Tokyo) designated in 1982, and in the “Higashiyamato Nijukkei” (20 scenic spots of Higashiyamato) designated in 1990. The Lake is quite popular throughout the year. It presents fantastic views to visitors in the seasons of cherry blossom viewing, spring leaf sprouting, autumn leaf reddening, and winter snow falling.
There is the Lake Tama cycling course extending from Nishi Tokyo City to Lake Tama. The road around the Lake promises a wonderful time to every cyclist.
(Translated by Johnny Ogra)
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| Lake Tama | Map |
（和文）
多摩湖は、東大和市のシンボルともいえる湖です。狭山丘陵の谷をせきとめて造られた湖で、それぞれに堰堤のある上貯水池と下貯水池に分かれています。その面積は周辺の水源林を含むと東大和市の約四分の一を占めています。
東京都民の水がめとして、多摩川の水を貯水しており、浄水場へ水を送るための取水塔があります。
大正5(1916)年に着工しましたが、工事は人力が主であったため、昭和2(1927)年の完成まで10年以上の年月がかかりました。
建設当時、谷沿いには７つの集落がありました。人々は田畑を耕し、のどかにくらしていましたが、住み慣れた地からの移転を余儀なくされました。上堰堤の北にある慶生門は、現在の芋窪６丁目に移転した寺院「慶性院」の山門で、当時をしのぶよすがとして保存されています。
多摩湖は、新東京百景（昭和57(1982)年制定）や東大和20景（平成2(1990)年制定）にも選ばれ、お花見・新緑・紅葉・雪景色と、四季を通じて人々に親しまれています。
また、湖の周囲には、西東京市から延びる多摩湖自転車道が整備され、快適なサイクリングが楽しめます。
