Lake Tazawa (田沢湖) in Semboku City in Akita Prefecture, with a depth of 422.4 meters, is the deepest lake in Japan. The 6 kilometers wide caldera lake was formed due to a volcanic eruption. Because of its depth, the lake can absorb a lot of heat in summer that even in the snowy winter, its surface will never be frozen!
Similar to Lake Towada, there are campsites and water-related leisure facilities that attract many outdoor sports lovers. The Tatsuko statue at the lakeshore is the symbol of Lake Tazawa. The view of its golden color contrasting the surrounding clear blue water is another reason tourists list Lake Tazawa in their itineraries!
Here is a list of attractions for you to add to your itinerary!
- Sashimaki Wetland (刺巻湿原)
- Lake Tazawa Pleasure Boat (田沢湖遊覧船)
- Statue of Tatsuko (たつこ像)
- Kansagu (漢槎宮)
- Gozanoishi Shrine (御座石神社)
- Beer Restaurant ORAE (湖畔の杜レストラン ORAE)
- Tazawako Herb Garden Heart Herb (田沢湖ハーブガーデン ハートハーブ)
- Hime Kan’non (姫観音)
- Tatsuko Teahouse (たつこ茶屋)
- Lake Tazawa Kunimasu Trout Museum (田沢湖クニマス未来館)
- Memories Of The Kata Branch School (思い出の潟分校)
- Sunset And Sunrise At Lake Tazawa
- Camping At Lake Tazawa
Tips:
☛ You can rent a Floating Sky Tent at Tazawako Campground!
☛ Tazawako Lake Resort & Onsen is a nice accommodation you can spend a night at.
Explore Lake Tazawa With a Guided Tour
If you prefer a guide to introduce you to the beauty of Lake Tazawa, how about joining one of the below tours?
How to Get to Lake Tazawa
- By train: catch a JR train to Tazawako Station (田沢湖駅). Whether it is via normal trains or the bullet trains/Shinkansen, they should all stop at Tazawako Station.
- If you are catching a Shinkansen, please catch those bound for Tokyo (東京行). The Shinkansen’s name is Komachi (こまち)
- By Airplane: you can catch a flight to Akita airport, and from there, there are reservation-based shared taxi services that will bring you straight to Lake Tazawa. Albeit it is more expensive, it is a more convenient way. For more information about the price and timetable, and to make a booking, please refer to the Akita Airportliner’s English website HERE.
- Note reservation through internet needs to be made by 5 pm 2 days in advance. If you are booking through a phone call, please do so by 5 pm the day before
Sashimaki Wetland (刺巻湿原)
Especially if you are visiting Lake Tazawa in spring, before you head straight to the gorgeous lake, drop by the Sashimaki Wetland!
At Sashimaki Wetland, there is an alder forest that is approximately three hectares in size. When spring comes, approximately 60,000 skunk cabbages growing underneath the alder trees will bloom!
The Sashimaki Skunk Cabbage Festival (刺巻水ばしょう祭り) is held here from mid-April to early May. During the festival, people in the temporary stalls will be selling local specialties such as Kiritanpo with miso paste or yam hot pot (might not be vegetarian, though!). On the weekends, local folk performances will be on stage (^_-)-☆.
The wooden tracks in the wetland are well-maintained for those who fancy a 30 to 60-minute alder forest trekking. However, please be careful as it can get quite slippery when wet (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Kiritanpo is an Akita local dish that is made from mashed rice. The mashed rice is then made to form into cylinders around cedar skewers before it gets roasted over an open hearth. It is usually consumed as one of the hot pot’s ingredients or grilled with sweet miso paste.
How to Get to Sashimaki Wetland
- The Sashimaki Wetland is just a 15-minute walk from JR Sashimaki Station (刺巻駅).
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa
Lake Tazawa Pleasure Boat (田沢湖遊覧船)
The Lake Tazawa Pleasure Boat is a high-speed boat that goes around the lakeshore. The lake is very calm, so those prone to seasickness should be able to enjoy the boat ride.
Tickets for the boat ride are sold at the Tazawako Resthouse (田沢湖レストハウス). You can choose to make a loop trip (circa 40 minutes) or utilize the boat to get to attractions in the Katajiri area (潟尻) on the other side of Lake Tazawa.
Tip: For all cyclists, the Tazawako Rent-a-Bike is located right next to Tozawako Resthouse. You can easily rent a bike from them from mid-April to early November from 8 am to 5 pm! If you read Japanese, you can refer to the official website HERE.
After you purchase your boat ticket, head to the Tazawa Lake Ramp to board the boat! The stop close to the Resthouse is Shirahama (白浜) because of the white sand on the shore.
Around 10 minutes after the boat departs, you will see a vermilion torii gate standing on the shore of the lake. Because the blue lake water in this area is breathtakingly beautiful, the driver will always stop the engine and keep the boat still to allow passengers to take photos of the lake.
This would also be a great opportunity for you to snap a photo of the red Gozanoishi Shrine’s (御座石神社) torii gate beautifully reflecting on the azure blue lake water!
Lake Tazawa Pleasure Boat Business Hours, Boat Fare, and Access Information
- The boat operates from the end of April to the beginning of November.
- In winter, the boat’s operating schedule isn’t fixed. If you would like to know if the boat will be operating on the day that you will be visiting Lake Tazawa, you can give them a call at +81-187-43-0274 to confirm
- The Japanese timetable of the boat can be accessed HERE. Please refer back to the stop’s Japanese name when you look up the timetable. If you still have trouble reading the timetable, contact us HERE, and we will get back to you.
- A one-way trip from
- Shirahama (白浜) costs 1,400 yen
- Shirahama to Katajiri (潟尻) costs 900 yen
- Katajiri to Shirakama costs 700 yen
- To get to the Resthouse, take the Ugoku Kōtsū’s (羽後交通) Tazawako Loop Line (田沢湖一周線) from JR Tazawako Station (田沢湖駅) and get off at Lake Tazawa (田沢湖畔). Please refer to the timetable HERE.
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Statue of Tatsuko (たつこ像)
Your boat will then head to Katajiri (潟尻) area, where a few scenic spots are located. But the first thing that will catch your eye is the shiny golden statue!
The statue was built in 1968 according to the legend of Princess Tatsuko.
Tatsuko, once a really beautiful girl in the village, prayed to the Ōkura Kan’non (大蔵観音) for eternal beauty. She then received a message from Ōkura Kan’non to drink the spring water from the north of the village. As she continued drinking the spring water, the mountain started to collapse, which later formed Lake Tazawa.
She was then incarnated as a dragon after submerging herself in the lake and praying for eternal beauty and youth. The Gozanoishi Shrine on the lakeshore is where Tatsuko was enshrined as a guardian deity of beauty.
Regarding why Lake Tazawa’s surface is never frozen, the legend goes like this: Princess Tatsuko has a lover – Hachirōtarō (八郎太郎). He is the god of Hachirōgata Lake (八郎潟). He visits Princess Tatsuko every winter, and the heat from their love melts any ice that could have formed.
To get a selfie with Princess Tatsuko, you can get off the boat at Katajiri and wait for the low tide.
Lake Tazawa Viewing Deck
If you have time, drop by the viewing deck in Mount Katamae Forest Park (かたまえ山森林公園) next to the Statue of Tatsuko for an amazing view of Lake Tazawa (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
How to Get to the Statue of Tatsuko
To get to the statue, instead of taking a boat from the Shirahama area, you can also take the Ugoku Kōtsū’s (羽後交通) Tazawako Loop Line (田沢湖一周線) and get off at Katajiri (潟尻). Please refer to the timetable HERE.
If you don’t read Japanese, use one of Japan’s Transport Apps to plan your visit.
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Kansagu (漢槎宮)
Kansagu, also known as Ukiki Shrine (浮木神社), is just a one-minute walk away from the Statue of Tatsuko.
A photo with the shrine, Lake Tozawa, and the mountain from afar as a backdrop is one of the most scenic photos you can get around the lakeshore.
The view of the shrine change by the water level as well!
Also, there are a couple of cherry blossom trees around this shrine. So this spot is particularly popular in spring when the shrine is beautifully surrounded by gorgeous pink flowers (*´ω｀).
How to Get to Kansagu
Please refer to the access information for the Statue of Tatsuko above. The shrine is just a one-minute walk from the Statue of Tatsuko.
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Gozanoishi Shrine (御座石神社)
If you have taken Lake Tazawa Pleasure Boat, you would have seen the vermilion torii gate during your boat trip from Shirahama to Katajiri. Not only can you worship the guardian god of Lake Tazawa here, but there are a few simple rituals/activities you can do!
Whilst the boat doesn’t stop in front of the torii gate, you can take a bus trip from Katajiri to the shrine, which only takes around 10 minutes!
For more information about what you can do here, refer to our Gozanoishi Shrine article!
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Beer Restaurant ORAE (湖畔の杜レストラン ORAE)
Back in the Shirahama area, this Beer Restaurant has a great lake view for resting and dining.
This European-style restaurant is well known for its handcrafted beer! Among their delicious dishes made from fresh local ingredients, a few vegetarian options are available.
If you want to confirm which dishes are vegetarian, please utilize the phrases in our Essential Japanese Travel Phrases for Vegetarian article when you get there!
“Orae” in Akita dialect means “my home”. The owner wants the restaurant to be a place where you can drop by easily at any time (albeit it isn’t open 24/7).
Apart from the beer, the dish that you won’t be able to eat elsewhere is the curry cooked with their handcrafted beer “実家制ビールのBEERカレー”. The Japanese pronunciation is “Jikka-sei bīru no bīru karē”.
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Whilst the curry itself doesn’t taste like beer, you can still taste the beer’s bitterness as no water was added when the curry was made.
As all alcohol had evaporated from cooking the curry, it is a dish for anyone to try and enjoy (i.e. yes, including drivers and minors).
Tip: Their vegetable and bean curry (野菜とひよこ豆のカレー) is vegan!
Beer Restaurant ORAE’s Business Hours and Access Information
- The business hours are currently
- 11 am to 3:30 pm on weekdays
- The last order is taken at 3 pm.
- On weekends and public holidays, the restaurant is open from 11 am to 7:30 pm
- The last order is taken at 6:50 pm.
- 11 am to 3:30 pm on weekdays
- The restaurant is around a 10-minute walk from Tazawako Resthouse.
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Tazawako Herb Garden Heart Herb (田沢湖ハーブガーデン ハートハーブ)
Around a 10-minute walk from Tazawako Resthouse, you will find this place specializing in herbs and plants. There are about 250 different types of plants (herbs inclusive) in the garden! Not only can you adore and smell the flowers and herbs in the garden, you can also reserve to participate in various plant-related workshops!
For more information, refer to our Tazawako Herb Garden Heart Herb article!
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Hime Kan’non (姫観音)
In 1940, most of the fish population in Lake Tazawa slowly died out from the acidic water from the Tamagawa River, making its way into Lake Tazawa (caused by the construction of the Tazawako Power Station).
Because of this sad event, the monks of the surrounding temples joined together and built this Hime Kan’non statue with the donations they had received.
They are hoping the Kan’non’s (Goddess of Mercy) mercy will help any creatures that died from this event can rest in peace.
Hime Kan’non’s Access Information
The statue and the power station are around a 10-minute from Tazawako Herb Garden or around 30 minutes from Tazawako Resthouse.
Tatsuko Teahouse (たつこ茶屋)
About a 10-minute drive from Beer Restaurant ORAE south of Lake Tazawa is this Tatsuko Teahouse. It is most famous for its Misotanpo (Kiritanpo with miso paste).
The miso paste that this teahouse uses is actually homemade and from soybeans! That is why it is tastier than the other Misotanpo that you might find elsewhere in Akita prefecture (^_-)-☆.
Grilling at the hearth outside the teahouse, the slightly burnt miso smell is so appetizing that it will make you dizzy!
Apart from the Misotanpo, light meal dishes and drinks are available for you to consume while you enjoy the lake view from the teahouse’s big window (^_-)-☆.
Tatsuko Teahouse’s Business Hours and Access Information
- The teahouse is open from 9:30 am to 4 pm daily.
- To get to the shrine, take the Ugoku Kōtsū’s (羽後交通) Tazawako Loop Line (田沢湖一周線) and get off at Ōsawa (大沢). Please refer to the timetable HERE. The teahouse is within a 2-minute walk from the bus stop.
Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Lake Tazawa Kunimasu Trout Museum (田沢湖クニマス未来館)
If you are interested in Lake Tazawa’s history and the once thought-extinct Kunimasu Trout, drop by this museum (really close to the Tatsuko Teahouse).
The Kunimasu Trout was originally found and thought to only exist in Lake Tazawa. Unfortunately, those trout died when the acidic water from the Tamagawa River made its way into Lake Tazawa in 1940.
So it was once believed that the Kunimasu Trout was extinct. Fortunately, more Kunimasu Trout was found in Saiko Lake (西湖) in Yamanashi Prefecture.
With this important history, the fishing gear and dugout canoe used in the past are also on display. With various panels and videos, you will get a pretty good view of how the locals used to live around Lake Tazawa.
Whilst this museum isn’t English-speaker-friendly. But with the photos, illustrations, and videos, it isn’t too hard to paint a rough picture of what the museum is trying to convey.
Lake Tazawa Kunimasu Trout Museum’s Opening Hours, Admission Fee, and Access Information
- The museum is open from 9 am to 4 pm daily except Tuesdays
- Please refer to the access information of Tatsuko Teahouse as the two facilities are really close to each other
- If the Tuesday falls on a public holiday, then it will close on the next business day instead
- The admission fee is
- 500 yen for adults
- 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students
- If you also plan to visit Omoide no Katabunko (思い出の潟分校), then we recommend that you purchase a combo ticket for
- 800 yen for adults
- 400 yen for elementary and junior high school students
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Memories of the Kata Branch School (思い出の潟分校)
As most of us wouldn’t get a chance to visit a Japanese primary school (especially ones from the 1970s), if you are interested in exploring one, you might want to drop by this school while at Lake Tazawa.
The school was closed in 1974 due to the lack of students but was re-opened in 2004 to the public as a “museum” type of facility. The younger generations get to explore the architecture and what the school looked like in the good old days (^_-)-☆.
It is definitely a good spot to drop by if you are interested in Japanese culture. And if they ever have nighttime school tours for some thrill, it should also be quite popular amongst tourists (≧▽≦).
Note it is known as Omoide no Katabunko in Japanese.
Memories of the Kata Branch School’s Opening Hours, Admission Fee, Access Information
- The opening hours are 9 am to 4 pm daily except Tuesdays
- If the Tuesday falls on a public holiday, then the school will close on the next business day instead
- The admission fee is
- 500 yen for adults
- 300 yen for elementary and junior school students)
- The school is around a 30-minute walk from the Lake Tazawa Kunimasu Trout Museum
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Sunset and Sunrise at Lake Tazawa
Remember to return to Tazawako Resthouse for the beautiful sunset if the weather is good!
Gazing at the sun disappear into the mountain in the Katajiri area will bring a perfect end to your visit to Lake Tazawa (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
If you stay overnight at Lake Tazawa, consider waking up before the sun rises!
The sunrise at Lake Tazawa is another stunning view you will want to see in real life (^_-)-☆.
Camping at Lake Tazawa
If you love camping, there are two campsites around Lake Tazawa.
As you can rent out all the essential (and even non-essential) camp gear from the administration building on both campsites, all you need to bring is spare clothes for changing and your shower set (^_-)-☆.
For more information about the two campsites, please refer to the official website HERE.
As some of the items that can be rented out aren’t listed on the English website (such as towels and cooking equipment), please refer to the Japanese website for a full list of items that can be rented out HERE. The first link is the Tazawako Auto-Camping Ground, and the second link is the Tazawako Campground.
If you don’t read Japanese, utilize Google Chrome’s translation function at the right of the address bar (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Please note that booking is essential and can only be done by telephone call. Phone numbers are listed on the top of the English websites.
Also, it is probably worthwhile to check with the facility if rental gear for water sports is available when you make your booking!
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions around Lake Tazawa.
Visit Kakunodate, The Little Kyoto in Japan’s Tōhoku Region
Kakunodate is close to Lake Tazawa is known as “Northeastern’s Little Kyoto”. The town used to be the home of the samurai stationed at Kakunodate Castle back in the Edo period. Even now, traces of the presence of the samurai remain a vivid reminder of their glory days a few centuries ago.
For more information, refer to our article on Kakunodate!
Other Scenic Places around Lake Tazawa
Dakigaeri Valley is famous for its mystical turquoise mountain stream and a great spot for autumn foliage. Each year from mid-October to early November, a rich collage of colors by the virgin forest at the banks will make a beautiful contrast to the turquoise Tamakawa River (玉川) running downstream.
It is also a great time of the year to visit the valley during spring and summer. With the river changing its color depending on where you stand and how the sun shrines on the vivid green forest, you should be able to see multiple shades of green!
Find out more about all the great attractions at Dakigaeri Valley with our article HERE!
Discover Nyūtō Onsen, The Best Onsen Town in Akita
Nyūtō Onsen (乳頭温泉郷) is a rural hot spring resort in Akita Prefecture that consists of six ryokans and one hotel, each having its history, style, and spring quality. Listed as one of the 100 Japan Hidden Scenic Spots, the resort is quietly nestled deep in the mountain at the base of Mt. Nyūtō.
For more information, please refer to our article on Nyūtō Onsen!
