This past summer, part of my sojourn through Tohoku took me to Lake Towada. This large lake sits at the southern edge of Aomori prefecture and is a popular summer and autumn destination. It was where we arrived after our three-hour amble down the Oirase stream trail. When we finally got to the shores of the lake, my daughter celebrated with an ice cream cone while I took the photo below:

As the cover depicts, another popular way to see the lake is by boat. Ferries leave from the starting/ending point of the Oirase Stream trail (Nenokuchi) and run to the southern part of the lake (Yasumiya). You can also take circular cruises from Yasumiya. Near the Yasumiya boarding point, there is a nice, flat forest path to a shrine and lovely lakeside views. You’ll also find a much-photographed statue here of two Tohoku women, which was installed simply to commemorate the area becoming a national park.

If you have a car, it’s worth driving around at least a portion of the lake, as there are several pull-offs which offer excellent views over large portions of the water.