Tohoku
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Tohoku - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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We’ve compiled the best of the best in Tohoku - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
The clear waters and forested slopes of Tazawa-ko, Japan's deepest lake, create a breathtaking, mystical quality. According to legend, the great beauty from Akita, Tatsuko Hime, sleeps in the water's deep, disguised as a dragon. The lake never freezes over in winter because Tatsuko Hime and her dragon husband churn the water with their passionate lovemaking. The less romantic, scientific reason is that Tazawa-ko has been measured to a depth of 1,397 feet, which prevents it from freezing. Though clear enough to allow you to see a startling 300 feet or more down into it, the mineral-blue water is too acidic to support anything but a few hardy fish (you can buy food to feed them near the statue of Tatsuko Hime). A scenic 20-km-long (12-mile-long) two-lane road is perfect for biking. Bicycles can be rented at the bus station near JR Tazawako Station, but you can also take a bus (timed with the arrivals of trains) to the lake and rent bicycles there for a relaxing ride around lake. In winter the Tazawa area is a popular downhill-skiing destination, and the deep blue of the lake is dazzling from the lifts and trails.
The highlight is the strong, acidic water (which has a minor amount of radium): gushing out at almost 2,400 gallons per minute, it's Japan's swiftest flow from a single spring. In the vicinity is another geothermal area in a national park where many enjoy a hot-rock bath. Take worn-out T-shirts and towels because they will get stained by the waters or even the steam (be careful also of reactive jewelry, such as copper or silver).
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