Lake Tazawa

What to know

Just south of Towada-Hachimantai National Park, Lake Tazawa (田沢湖, Tazawako) is a scenic caldera lake that remains largely undeveloped, preserving a natural and rustic atmosphere. It is often visited together with nearby attractions like Nyuto Onsen and Mount Akita-Komagatake, which also offer the rustic landscapes typical of the Tohoku Region.

Lake Tazawa shares many similarities with Lake Towada, another popular lake in the area that gives its name to Towada-Hachimantai National Park. While Lake Towada is Japan's largest caldera lake, Lake Tazawa is the deepest, reaching 423 meters. Both offer comparable scenery and water activities such as pleasure boat rides.

At the northern end of the lake stands Goza no Ishi Shrine, built on a site where feudal lords once came to admire the water. On the western shore, a famous golden statue of a woman named Tatsuko has become a local symbol. Legend says Tatsuko was a beautiful girl who prayed for eternal beauty but was cursed and turned into a dragon, eventually sinking to the bottom of Lake Tazawa.

Most of the lakeside remains undeveloped. Around the bus stop on the eastern shore, visitors find a few shops, restaurants, bicycle rentals, and the sightseeing boat pier. Boats operate from late April to early November, traveling to the Tatsuko Statue and back. The round trip takes 40 minutes and costs 1,400 yen.

Multiple buses run hourly from Tazawako Station to the Tazawa-kohan bus stop on the eastern shore (12 minutes, 400 yen one way), including buses heading to Nyuto Onsen and Tamagawa Onsen.

For travel around the lake, infrequent buses run along the northern half as far as the Tatsuko Statue. Alternatively, the sightseeing boat connects Tazawa-kohan bus stop (Shirahama pier) and the Tatsuko Statue (Katajiri pier) from late April to early November. By car, you can drive around the entire lake in about half an hour (without stops).