The deepest lake in Japan, 423.4 m: on the shore stands the golden statue of Tatsuko.
An almost perfect circle six kilometres across, cobalt blue even in winter because it never freezes over completely: below the surface it goes down to 423.4 metres, the Japanese record and the seventeenth in the world. On the north shore, next to Goza-ishi Shrine, the golden statue of Tatsuko looks out over the water: legend has it that the girl, to stay beautiful for ever, turned into a dragon and threw herself in.
A volcanic lake in the municipality of Semboku, lying entirely within Tazawako-Dakigaeri Prefectural Natural Park and listed among the Hundred Landscapes of Japan. The bronze statue of Tatsuko, erected in 1968, depicts the heroine of the local legend, who became the deity of the lake.
ℹ️ The public shore is always accessible. The statue of Tatsuko can be reached on the Ugo Kōtsū ‘Tazawako Isshū-sen’ bus from JR Tazawako Station (about 30 minutes), getting off at the Katajiri bus stop. The full circuit of the lake by car is about 20 km; in summer, boat hire and a tour boat are available.
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