What to do

• Walk or drive to the golden Tatsuko statue, the lake's best-known landmark, on the western shore.
• Take a sightseeing boat cruise across the lake in the warmer months for close-up views of the surrounding mountains.
• Rent a bicycle or pedal boat to explore the shoreline at your own pace between spring and fall.
• Stop at Shirahama, the lake's white-sand beach, or the vermillion torii gate at the northern shore.

Tickets and fees

Checked in July 2026: lakeshore access and the Tatsuko statue are free. Sightseeing boat cruises, pedal boats, and cycle rentals are paid and mainly run from spring through fall, with reduced or no service in winter, so confirm current schedules locally before planning a cruise.

Getting there

Lake Tazawa is reached via JR Tazawako Station on the Akita Shinkansen. From the station, local buses run to the lakeshore (Tazawako Kohan) in around 15 to 20 minutes; taxis and rental cars are also common, especially if you plan to circle the lake.

Nearby

Easy pairings include Nyuto Onsen's hot spring village in the mountains above the lake, and the Kakunodate samurai district, a short train ride away.

What to do

• Soak in Tsurunoyu Onsen's milky-blue outdoor bath, the oldest and most famous of the valley's inns.
• Use the Yumeguri shuttle bus to visit two or three of the seven onsen inns in a single day.
• Stay overnight in a thatched-roof ryokan for the full Edo-period atmosphere, especially in snow season.
• Combine a soak with a walk through the surrounding beech forest before or after bathing.

Tickets and fees

Checked in July 2026: most inns charge a per-visit day-bathing fee rather than requiring advance tickets, and some restrict day-trip bathing hours (for example Tsurunoyu has historically allowed day visitors only in a midday window). Shuttle passes for getting between inns are sold locally. Confirm current hours and any closures directly with each ryokan before visiting, as they can change seasonally.

Getting there

From Tokyo, take the Akita Shinkansen to JR Tazawako Station (about 3 hours). From the station, the Ugo Kotsu bus toward Nyuto Onsen takes roughly 50 minutes; some inns then require an additional walk from the nearest bus stop. A rental car from Tazawako Station is a common alternative given the valley's remote location.

Nearby

Nyuto Onsen sits just above Lake Tazawa, making it easy to combine a lake stop with your trip up into the mountains.

What to do

• Walk the tree-lined Bukeyashiki street past black wooden fences and gates of former samurai homes.
• Go inside one or two of the preserved houses, such as those still holding family artifacts and armor.
• See the district's famous weeping cherry trees, especially striking in late April.
• Browse local craft shops selling Kabazaiku cherry-bark woodwork, a Kakunodate specialty.

Tickets and fees

Checked in July 2026: most individual samurai houses are open daily but with shorter winter hours (roughly December through March), and some close on specific weekdays in the off-season. Admission is paid per house rather than as a single district-wide ticket. Confirm current hours for the houses you want to enter before visiting.

Getting there

Kakunodate is reached via JR Tazawako Station, then a short ride on the Akita Shinkansen or local Akita Nairiku Line to Kakunodate Station. The Bukeyashiki district is about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the station.

Nearby

Kakunodate pairs well with Lake Tazawa and the mountain onsen village of Nyuto Onsen, both reachable via Tazawako Station.

What to do

• See more than 150 Namahage masks collected from Oga districts and compare their distinct shapes and expressions.
• Watch the large-screen film that explains the New Year's Eve house-visiting tradition before exploring the displays.
• Try on a Namahage costume at the museum's makeover corner for a photo.
• Add the adjacent Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum and the nearby Shinzan Shrine for a fuller cultural stop.

Tickets and fees

Checked in July 2026: the Namahage Museum is open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is 660 yen for adults and 330 yen for elementary, junior-high and high-school students. The combined ticket with the adjacent Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum is 1,100 yen for adults and 600 yen for students. Check the official site before visiting for any temporary changes.

Getting there

There is no regular public bus to the museum area. From JR Oga Station, use a rental car or reserve the Namahage Shuttle shared taxi by 9 p.m. the day before (5 p.m. by phone); it serves the Shinzan stop for the Namahage Museum, Folklore Museum and Shinzan Shrine. The shared-taxi route runs on selected 2026 dates, so check its operating calendar before making a car-free plan.

Nearby

Pair the museum with the adjacent Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum and Shinzan Shrine, then allow a full day if you continue around the peninsula to Oga Aquarium GAO or Cape Nyudo. For an inland contrast, add the Kakunodate samurai district on a multi-day Akita itinerary.