The boat ride starts off like any other through the ancient canals of Xochimilco. There's laughter in the distance, floating mariachi music, and the occasional splash of an oar. But then your trajinera turns away from the main path. The air gets still. The water darkens. The laughter fades. You're no longer headed toward a party—you’re heading into a ghost story.

There are places in the world that don’t just show you nature—they tell you stories. And then there’s Lake Mashū, a mystical caldera lake nestled in the mountains of Hokkaido, Japan. Known for its mirror-like waters and often shrouded in fog, Mashū is mysterious on any given day. But once a year, it unveils something truly otherworldly: the Dragon Eye.