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Tohoku is a beautiful part of Japan, but receives very few foreign visitors, as most arrive in Tokyo and head west for Kyoto, ignoring the amazing sights to Tokyo’s north. The tragic events of the last few weeks mean there is a danger that this trend will continue, and even strengthen, and Tohoku could become even more forgotten than it has been in the past. Having travelled Tohoku extensively I am keen to highlight some top spots of Japan’s north-east that I have been to in the past, in the hope that people will soon be heading there, to help the local economy and local people head into the future following the earthquake and tsunami.
First up is Tazawa-ko, a beautiful circular lake in the heart of rural Akita prefecture.
The lake and surrounding countryside are very picturesque, offering a great insight into the slower pace of life that goes on in this very rural part of Japan. The lake also comes complete with its own legend, of which (in the best tradition) there are several versions of, depending on who you believe. On the southwestern side of the lake you will find a gold statue of a beautiful girl named Tatsuko. One version of the story says that she wished for her beauty and youth to be preserved forever but was turned into a dragon and sank to the bottom of the lake, where she remains; another claims that the dragon is in fact her husband who she lives with in the depths of the lake, and it is their energetic lovemaking that ensures that the lake never freezes over even in the depths of winter! Take a look at the statue and make up your own mind!
Tazawa-ko is a great day out, and with direct Shinkansen access from Tokyo, there’s no excuse not to visit!
