Lake Towada
Lake Towada (十和田湖;-ko) is a crater lake in the north of Akita in Kosaka, resting on the border of Aomori.
Outline
Lake Towada forms the centerpiece of one area of Towada-Hachimantai National Park. At 61.1km² it is the 12th largest lake in Japan by surface area, and the 3rd deepest in Japan at 327.0m. (The deepest in Japan is Towada's cousin to the south, Lake Tazawa)
Towada is a double caldera lake, and the volcano that formed it is still considered to be active. The crater that the lake resides in is thought to have been caused by eruptions roughly 55,000, 25,000, and 13,000 years ago.
Until 2008, the boundaries that separated Aomori and Akita had not been clarified since the Edo Period, resulting in confusion over which prefecture Lake Towada belonged to. In 2008 it was decided that 60% of the lake belonged to Aomori, and 40% of the lake belonged to Akita.
Getting there
Although there are buses that travel to Lake Towada, the most convenient way of getting there is by car. The lake can easily be accessed by taking the route 103 north through Kosaka
Sightseeing
Towada's most famous attraction would likely be the "Maiden Statue" on its shore, created by famed Japanese artist Kotaro Takamura. Other attractions include regularly scheduled pleasure cruises and the Towada Museum. The lake also offers impressive views of the fall leaves earlier than any other spot in the prefecture.
Gallery
Lake Towada from above
The shoreline
Fog in the morning
From a distance
