Oike Water Park 大池親水公園

Small pond with rare resident swan geese

Oike Water Park in a residential area of Kasukabe City is a small pond with a stone-paved walking path around it. It's not very big - you can walk the circumference in 10 minutes. It doesn't look remarkable. I recommend it to bird watchers. Herons, ducks, and geese frequent the pond. The foliage background and a tiny island with a bridge make it picture-perfect. The first time I visited, I was surprised to see geese there that looked unfamiliar. They're sakatsuragan, (Anser cygnoides), swan geese. They're native to China, Mongolia, and Russia. They are also an endangered species in their home range. The resident group of swan geese were introduced here by a local zoo. The swan geese adapted to their environment. If they're in a good mood, you can get some good photos of them. Keep your distance, though.