Statue of Tatsuko — Attraction in Semboku

MYSTIC WATERS! Lake Tazawa is a caldera lake in Semboku-shi, Akita Prefecture. It is the deepest lake in Japan at 423.4 metres and is almost circle in shape. The mystic waters of the lake with its ever changing colours from sapphire blue to jade green to indigo colour depending on the season and the depth of light penetrating the waters. On our visit to Lake Tazawa, we were fortunate to see the 3 bands of coloured waters! At a lookout hut, we also captured the glistening waters on camera. It was awesome!

Other attractions include: A golden statue of Tatsuko on the western shore. Tatsuko was a legendary princess who wished for eternal beauty, and was transformed into a dragon.

Kansagu (Ukiki Shrine) located on the bank of Lake Tazawa. Kansagu is built with large white drift wood.

Goza-no-ishi Shrine on the northern shore with its striking red gate at the...

Gold statue of lady Tatsuko. Lord of Tazawa Lake. Is a fairy tale but I only managed to get the overview about a girl who appealed to Kanon for youth and beauty. On a moon lit night, the God told her to drink the water from a spring in the north. She drank but became more thirsty and could not stop drinking. She drank the spring dry and became a dragon. Then she sank into the lake and became its god or lord. Remember that in East Asian myth, gods are "land gods" or nature spirits/gods representing natural features. I suspect this fairy tale is based on some irl tragedy.

It's possible to cycle here using the Northern route from the bus station / bike rental. The southern side has the steep hill that makes the trip a little rough for average tourists. But if you're a cyclist, easy peasy - check Google maps to see if those hill inclines are within...

We visited by kayak. The lake is a gorgeous blue color and the contrast against the gold statie was really nice. Right by the statue is a small shrine selling lots of amulets. There are two shops and three smallish parking areas. The small parking area by the public restroom are free. The other two car parks are for customers. One ahop has regular tourist gifts the other was a more upmarket shop connected to the hotel. It sold hot drinks...