Lake Towada

Lake Towada is a crater lake in Aomori Prefecture that sits in a volcanic basin surrounded by mountains and reaches a depth of 327 meters (1,073 feet). The shoreline is lined with dense forests, while the water shifts from deep blue to darker gray depending on the season.

The caldera formed over 200,000 years ago when a volcano collapsed and later filled with water. An eruption in 915 threw ash across much of the region and altered farming patterns in the surrounding countryside for several years.

The name combines 'tō' meaning ten and 'wada' referring to water, pointing to the ten tributaries once counted here. Visitors today see the two jutting peninsulas and the narrow bay between them, protected since its designation as a national monument in 1936.

The lake sits roughly two hours by car from the nearest train station, with buses running several times daily along winding mountain roads. Winter keeps the area occasionally closed due to heavy snow, while autumn and spring offer calmer conditions.

The water replaces itself fully roughly every eight to nine years as springs and inflows circulate slowly through the depth. Temperature remains cool beneath the surface even in midsummer, rising just above ten degrees Celsius (fifty degrees Fahrenheit).

Location: Towada

Location: Kosaka

Elevation above the sea: 400 m

Address: Lake Towada, Japan

GPS coordinates: 40.46667,140.86667

Latest update: December 12, 2025 23:28