These lakeside cafes have windows or a terrace that look straight out at the water. Sit with coffee and cake, and let a walk or a drive slow down for an hour. Most are outside the big cities and easier by car, so check the access before you go.
A cafe on the shore of Lake Okushima, above Shima Onsen, a hot spring village in the mountains of Gunma, where the water is a deep, milky blue. Sip house-roasted coffee on the terrace while you rest your feet in an ashiyu, a foot bath of hot spring water. It closes on irregular days, so check before you go.
A cafe in an old Japanese house on the shore of Lake Hamana, a large lagoon in western Shizuoka. Choose coffee, gelato or a sweet and watch the water through the old windows. The nearest station on a small local line is about 2 km away, so a car is easier.
A cafe on Teganuma, a lake in the suburbs of Chiba east of Tokyo, where the windows are filled with the water. Have curry, a parfait or coffee and watch the birds and reeds along the shore. It opens only on some days of the week, so check before you go.
A cafe with a huge terrace looking right out over Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, in Omi-Hachiman, about 40 minutes from Kyoto by train. Sit with a drink or afternoon tea where the lake and sky fill your view. The cafe is out on the lakeshore, a taxi ride from Omi-Hachiman Station, and afternoon tea needs booking a few days ahead.