Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [420]
Inside the train station, Folake (43-2111; 8.30am-6.30pm) is a tourist information office that has excellent bilingual maps and free internet.
A 20km perimeter road surrounds the lake, and you can rent bicycles (¥400 per hour) or scooters (¥1200 per hour) in Tazawa Kohan. A car makes getting around easier, though there is a decent public transport network here.
Sights & Activities
TAZAWA-KO
Public beaches surround the lake itself, though swimming is a frigid proposition outside the balmy summer months. If you’re not a member of the polar-bear club, you can rent all manner of boats in Tazawa Kohan during the spring, summer and autumn months. A stroll by the lake at sunset is a treat at any time of year.
NYŪTŌ ONSEN
One of Japan’s choicest hot springs, and a must-visit for any aspiring onsen aficionado. The area is home to seven rustic ryokan, each with a different character and different baths, though all offer healing waters that are great for soaking away from it all. All of the good mix of ryokan offer overnight lodging, and many feature konyoku, mixed-sex baths (when it comes to bathing, the Japanese certainly aren’t shy!). The two most famous bathhouses are Tsuru-no-Yu and Kuroyu – see right for more information.
SKIING & SNOWBOARDING
The most popular ski slope in the area is Tazawako-Sukī-Jō (46-2011; www.tazawako-ski.com/engligh/index.html; 1-day lift ticket ¥4200; Dec-Apr), which has 13 trails, most of which are intermediate and advanced runs with wide slopes and sweeping lake views. There are also three large restaurants to choose from that cater well for English-speaking visitors. Tazawako-Sukī-Jō is located on the road to Nyūtō Onsen, and can be accessed by local bus in the winter months.
AKITA KOMAGA-TAKE
Hikers should take a bus from Tazawa-ko station to Komaga-take Hachigōme (8th station), from where it’s a two- to three-hour climb to the summit of this mountain (1637m). A popular trail leads across to the peak of Nyūtō-zan (1478m) in about seven hours, from where you can hike down to Nyūtō Onsen (another few hours). The whole trek is best tackled in two days, so make sure you’re properly prepared. There are mountain huts along the trail.
Sleeping & Eating
TAZAWA-KO
There are several camping grounds in the lake’s vicinity, including Nyūtō camping ground (46-2244; camp sites ¥1000, plus per person ¥500) in the village of Nyūtō Onsen.
Tazawa-ko Youth Hostel (43-1281; fax 43-0842; 33-8 Kami-Ishigami, Obonai; r from ¥3090; ) Although it’s one of the more modest accommodation options around the lake, rooms at the YH are clean and functional, there’s an attractive onsite onsen and you can expect good Japanese home-cooking (breakfast/dinner ¥630/1050). Take a Tazawa Kohan-bound bus from the station, and get off at the Kōen-iriguchi stop – the hostel is diagonally across the street.
Cafe+Inn That Sounds Good! (43-0127; fax 43-0578; www.hana.or.jp/~takko, in Japanese; 160-58 Tazawakohan; r per person incl 2 meals from ¥8800; ) A charming little inn with country-style rooms and a homely atmosphere, the owners are huge jazz fans, and often host live jazz nights and impromptu musical performances. It’s a 30-minute stroll north of Tazawa Kohan bus station along the main road, though you might want to call ahead for a pick-up.
NYŪTŌ ONSEN
All of the following ryokan are accessible by local buses heading between Tazawa Kohan to Nyūtō Onsen – be sure to tell the driver your destination.
Tsuru-no-yu Onsen (; 46-2139; fax 46-2100; 50 Kokuyurin, Sendatsuzawa; www.tsurunoyu.com; r per person ¥8400, bath ¥500; ) The most storied onsen in Nyūtō, Tsuru-no-yu was the official bathhouse of the Akita clan’s ruling elite, and you can still