[Lake Towada Travel Guide] Enjoy Magnificent Scenery Woven by Diverse Nature

Northeast of Lake Towada lies the Streamside Walking Area, home to the Oirase Gorge.
In the dense forest, lively rivers and waterfalls flow through the landscape, letting you fully experience the beauty of nature.
With a wide variety of plants and wild animals living here, you can encounter many different kinds of scenery within this area alone.
Well-maintained roads and walking paths also make it easy to explore.
If you want to fully enjoy both Lake Towada and the Oirase Gorge, be sure to visit the Streamside Walking Area, where you can appreciate the beauty of the stream and the forest.

Southeast of Lake Towada is the Lake Towada Excursion Area.
Not only does it have many observation decks and mountains with sweeping views of Lake Towada, but it is also an area where you can enjoy activities such as trekking and canoeing, along with a shrine tied to local legends and family-run inns.
There is also a campground, so you can stay awhile and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Lake Towada at different times of day.
The lake surface reflecting a clear blue sky is beautiful, but Lake Towada at sunset is especially stunning.
This is a recommended area for those who want to enjoy Lake Towada in many different ways.

The Dining and Lodging Area is located south of Lake Towada, southwest of the Lake Towada Excursion Area.
This area brings together accommodations with beautiful lake views, restaurants, and souvenir shops, and it is also home to the Maiden Statue, a symbol of Lake Towada.
Sightseeing boats also depart from here, making it a key base for exploring Lake Towada.
There is also a casual walking course where you can enjoy a stroll through Lake Towada’s natural surroundings.
This area is recommended for those who do not have much time for sightseeing around Lake Towada.

The Lake Towada View Area, which stretches across the western side of Lake Towada, is home to some of the best viewpoints for taking in the full panorama of the lake.
From observation decks, mountain passes, and elevated points, you can look down over Lake Towada and enjoy it from many different angles.
Be sure to find your favorite spot.

Northeast of Lake Towada, beyond the Streamside Walking Area, lies the Hidden Healing Retreat and Hot Spring Area.
Because primeval forest spreads through the area and the Hakkoda mountain range can be seen up close, you can enjoy scenery quite different from the lakeshore of Lake Towada.
Hot spring inns stand in this secluded landscape, where you can soak in the baths while enjoying beautiful scenery and a tranquil atmosphere.
If you have time, be sure to head through the Streamside Walking Area and visit the Hidden Healing Retreat and Hot Spring Area as well.

A pair of bronze statues standing on the lakeshore of Towadako Yasumiya.
They were erected in 1953 to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Towada Lake National Park’s designation, honoring three figures: writer Keigetsu Omachi, who widely introduced Lake Towada and Oirase to the world and contributed to the park’s designation, Chiyosaburo Takeda, then governor of Aomori Prefecture, and local village mayor Koichi Ogasawara.
It is a symbol of Lake Towada and is also popular as a photo spot where visitors can photograph the lake through the bronze statues.

Part of the Oirase River that flows out of Lake Towada, this scenic stream runs for Approx. 14 km from Nenokuchi on the lakeshore to Yakeyama and has been awarded two stars in the Michelin Green Guide.
Designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and a Natural Monument by the Japanese government, it features many highlights, including waterfalls, clear streams, massive rocks, and steep cliffs.

An ancient shrine located on the Nakayama Peninsula, which juts out into Lake Towada.
In the Edo period, it attracted worship as one of the two great sacred sites along with Osorezan and flourished as a place of ascetic training.
It is also known as one of the top spiritual spots in Tohoku, and its famed “fortune-telling site” is especially well known. At this spot, a piece of “oyori paper” offered before the gods and prayed over by the shrine priest is floated on the lake, and it is said that if it sinks, your wish will come true.

A waterfall located where the water flowing out of Lake Towada joins the Oirase Gorge.
At Approx. 7 m high and Approx. 20 m wide, it is the largest waterfall in the Oirase Gorge and also the only waterfall on the main stream. Its name comes from the idea that Lake Towada resembles a sake flask, while Choshi Otaki looks like the spout of that flask.

Lake Towada is a caldera lake formed by volcanic activity that began Approx. 200,000 years ago, and it is famous as a scenic destination. You can enjoy its picturesque beauty from the water.
There are two routes: Course A, a one-way route between Yasumiya and Nenokuchi, and Course B, which departs from Yasumiya and cruises around the western lake and the central lake, the third-deepest lake basin in Japan. Both rides take Approx. 50 minutes. Choose the one that best suits your travel plans.

A cafe operated by Towadako Lakeside Hotel. It is the only lakeside cafe facing both the highway and the lake, where you can enjoy light meals and drinks while taking in the magnificent view of Lake Towada.
The signature menu item is apple pie. Made mainly with Fuji apples and plenty of the best Aomori-grown apples for the season, each pie is carefully handmade and baked one by one.

A standalone restaurant located near the Oirase Gorge. The name Ortolana means “garden style” in Italian, and reflects the wish to serve vegetables carefully grown by local people together with the producers’ passion.
The menu features plenty of Aomori vegetables delivered directly from farms.
As the name suggests, the pizzas are baked in a stone oven. The high heat bakes them quickly, giving them a crisp and fragrant finish.

Morita Souvenirs and Dining stands on the shore of Lake Towada, in front of the torii gate of Towada Shrine. It is a restaurant with an attached souvenir shop founded in 1931.
Its meals and souvenirs use ingredients from Lake Towada, especially kokanee salmon and wakasagi smelt. Small side dishes in the set meals made with locally grown bamboo shoots, butterbur, and mountain vegetables are also popular.
The dining area offers a menu centered on tendon and set meals featuring kokanee salmon and wakasagi smelt.