[Lake Tazawa Travel Guide] A Mystical Landscape of Lapis-Blue Waters and Mountain Views

Lake Tazawa is home to an old tale known as the “Legend of Princess Tatsuko.”
Long ago, there was a beautiful young woman named Tatsuko who lived in this area.
Wishing for her beauty and youth to last forever, she continued praying to Okura Kannon, and on the night of the 100th day, she received a divine message telling her to drink the water from a spring.
According to the legend, when she finished drinking the mysterious water that only made her thirstier the more she drank, Tatsuko had transformed into a dragon and became the mistress of Lake Tazawa.
In Lake Tazawa, there are many mystical spots connected to this legend, including the golden Statue of Tatsuko, as well as Tatsuko Kannon on the eastern shore of the lake and the Statue of Princess Tatsuko within the grounds of Goza no Ishi Shrine.

The golden Statue of Tatsuko, standing 2.3 meters tall, is located in the Katashiri area on the western side of Lake Tazawa.
Because the water of Lake Tazawa is highly acidic, bronze would oxidize, so the statue is covered in gold leaf.
Set against the lapis-blue waters of Lake Tazawa, the beautiful golden statue of a young girl blends into the scenery of every season and creates a mystical impression.
Depending on the lake’s water level, you can view it up close from the lakeside promenade.
In winter, according to the legend, Hachirotaro, the lover of Princess Tatsuko and also a dragon god, visits Lake Tazawa so they can spend time together, which has made this spot well known as a power spot for love.

This shrine is known for its beautiful vermilion torii gate and stands near the northern shore of Lake Tazawa.
According to legend, in the Muromachi period, ascetic practitioners devoted to Kumano Gongen used this place for training, and the shrine is said to have received its name when Yoshitaka Satake, lord of the Akita domain, sat down here to rest during a cruise on Lake Tazawa in 1650.
Because Princess Tatsuko, known from the dragon god legend, is enshrined here, the grounds contain a statue of her with a dragon’s lower body and the sacred spring of Katagashira, where she is said to have drunk and become a dragon, while nearby you can also find Kagami-ishi, said to reflect her image.

This shrine is said to have been named in 1769 by Masudo Soshu, a samurai poet of the Akita domain. Because it is believed to enshrine a large driftwood tree that washed ashore, it is also called Ukiki Shrine.
Standing as if it juts out into the lake, it offers a mystical view from a short distance away, where the shrine appears to float on the water.
The contrast created by the white wooden shrine building, the clear blue lake water, and the rich greenery surrounding the shrine is a scene that captivates all who see it.

This facility lets you experience a lakeside sauna beside Lake Tazawa, a scenic spot selected as one of Japan’s 100 Scenic Views.
After enjoying a sauna session in a tent sauna set up by the staff, you can cool down in Lake Tazawa itself as a natural cold bath. The white sandy lakeshore is comfortable to walk on barefoot, and unlike the sea, it does not leave your skin feeling sticky.

A European-style restaurant standing by the shore of Lake Tazawa. The name “ORAE” means “my home” in the Akita dialect, and the restaurant welcomes guests with the warm feeling of saying, “Please come to my home anytime.”
The menu is wide-ranging, including pizza made with homemade dough using Shirakami Kodama yeast, a wild yeast discovered in the Shirakami Mountains, as well as pasta, hamburg steak, and sausages.
You should also try their carefully crafted Kohan no Mori Beer, including varieties such as “Akitakomachi Lager” and “Ajiwai Tenku.”

In front of Tazawako Station stands Tazawako Ichi, a local products hall created using a traditional old house.
This retro-style market has the atmosphere of an old residence, and sells local farm produce, specialty goods, and local sake.
Inside it is a small specialty Japanese soba restaurant with about 20 seats. That is “Juwari Soba-dokoro Soba Goro.”
As the name suggests, their standout dish is 100% buckwheat soba. It is made with buckwheat flour from the Tazawako area and served with house-made noodles.

A specialty honey shop in Akita Prefecture, one of Japan’s leading honey-producing areas.
Inside a dome-shaped log house inspired by a beehive, you will find a wide variety of honeys from Japan and abroad, including horse chestnut and acacia honey harvested around the Lake Tazawa area, as well as lemon, coffee, and sunflower honey.
All products are available for tasting, so you can find your favorite flavor.

An accommodation facility located on the Tazawako Plateau at the foot of Mt. Akita-Komagatake.
It is conveniently close to Lake Tazawa, the Kakunodate Samurai Residences, Dakigaeri Gorge, and other attractions, making it a convenient base for sightseeing around Lake Tazawa.
There are two hot springs: Katakuri no Yu, featuring a courtyard garden-style design, and Kokumasa no Yu, a Japanese-style bath with an arbor and rock formations. Both have open-air baths and indoor baths, where you can enjoy soaking in simple hot spring water while looking out over the scenery of the four seasons.

Miyakowasure is a solitary inn where you can enjoy the secluded hot spring Natsuse Onsen, loved by locals since the Edo period. It is located south of Lake Tazawa, Approx. 30 minutes from JR Kakunodate Station by free shuttle.
Set in the middle of great nature beyond a narrow path through a gorge, with nothing else around, it offers the appeal of spending special time in an extraordinary setting.
In the open-air bath attached to each guest room, the large communal bath, and the private open-air bath, you can relax in free-flowing spring water while gazing out at Japan’s nostalgic rural scenery.

Among the seven inns and seven baths of Nyuto Onsenkyo, Kyukamura Nyuto Onsen has the most modern facilities.
Recently renovated, it is a modern hot spring facility that feels convenient and clean while still being located in a historic hot spring area.
The hot springs include Nyuto no Yu, a slightly lukewarm reddish-brown bicarbonate spring said to help with cuts and burns, and Tazawako Kogen no Yu, a slightly hotter milky-white sulfur spring said to help with high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis.
With these two kinds of free-flowing natural hot spring sources, you can fully enjoy them according to the water quality, temperature, and your preference.

Dakigaeri Gorge is a 10-kilometer-long gorge stretching along the middle reaches of the Tamagawa River, which flows between Lake Tazawa and Kakunodate.
It is said to have been named because the mountain path was once so narrow and steep that when people passed each other, they had to hold each other as if in an embrace.
Known as a famous spot for fresh greenery and autumn leaves, it attracts many tourists during the season.

In Kakunodate Town, Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, a historic townscape still remains today. It was originally developed in the early Edo period, around 1620, by the Ashina clan, and later prospered as the castle town of the northern Satake family. It has also been designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the Japanese government.
Within this area is Bukeyashiki Street, where many residences once owned by samurai still stand in a row.

At 1,637 meters above sea level, this mountain range is the tallest in Akita Prefecture and is made up of peaks including Onnadake and Odake.
Also known as the “Mountain of Flowers,” it delights hikers with alpine plants blooming every year from June to August.
About 300 kinds of plants grow here, from Ezotsutsuji azaleas and Oba-kisumire violets to rhododendrons and gentians.