Lake Inawashiro

Lake Inawashiro

Japan's fourth-largest freshwater lake, Lake Inawashiro is situated in Bandai Asahi National Park. It is also known as the “Heavenly Mirror Lake” and has a surface area of 104 square kilometers! The combination of Lake Inawashiro and Mt. Bandai form one of Aizu's representative landscapes. And being less than three hours from Tokyo by shinkansen and local train means that you have easy access from a major transport hub.

The lake offers year-round fun. Enjoy cherry blossoms in spring at Iwahashi Shrine, one of Aizu’s five famous cherry trees. Summer at Lake Inawashiro is slightly cooler than the rest of Fukushima, so take advantage of camping by the lakeshore, and a wide variety of marine sports. Colored leaves and hikes are the popular thing to do in autumn, view the fiery hues and take in the crisp air. In winter, visitors can enjoy fresh powder snow and winter thrills in the form of skiing and snowboarding; and you can even catch a glimpse of migrating swans on the shores.

It’s truly a beauty no matter when you decide to visit. There are also a wide range of scenic spots from where visitors can take photographs and soak in the view. It’s a great place to escape from the stress of work and life or just to experience Japanese nature and landscapes.

Lake Inawashiro's size means that it is accessible from a number of sightseeing spots, including Tenkyokaku stately house and Hideo Noguchi Memorial Museum (a museum dedicated to the life and work of a Japanese scientist famous for his research on yellow fever). There’s plenty more to do nearby: view some amazing works by international artists at the Morohashi Museum of Modern Art, or visit the rainbow-colored Goshiki-numa Ponds.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://bandaisan.or.jp/ib/en/
Best SeasonAll Year
ParkingAvailable (parking areas can be found around the lake perimeter – please check the official website for exact locations)
Access Details
AccessMinamieboshi-639 Osada, Inawashiro Town, Yama District, Fukushima Pref. 969-3283
View directions
Getting there

Northern Side

  • The closest train station is Inawashiro Station (JR Ban-etsu West Line), which can be reached directly by train from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station or Koriyama Station
  • From Inawashiro Station, the northern side of the lake is between a 5km-7km walk, or a taxi ride.
  • By car, the northern side of the lake can be reached in around 45 minutes from either Koriyama City or Aizu-Wakamatsu City.

Southern Side

  • The easiest way to reach this area is by car, as there are no nearby train stations.

Useful Links

Visiting Inawashiro in Summer

Lake Inawashiro Sightseeing Boat

Shibuki-gori (Naturally-forming ice sculptures)

Salvador Dali Art Museum in Stunning Japanese National Park

Inawashiro's Nature and Spirituality

Related trips

Nearby

The World Glassware Hall
History & Culture

Oyakuen Garden

Oyakuen was used approximately 600 years ago as a villa for the then lord of the Aizu Domain. Subsequently, in the mid-17th century, the lord of the Aizu Domain started growing medicinal herbs within the grounds which he developed to protect the citizenry from epidemics. This lead to the garden gaining the name "Oyakuen", which literally means "medicinal garden." The traditional garden has been preserved as it was long ago, and Oyakuen has now been designated as an important national asset. The buildings within the grounds were used by the lord as a place of relaxation and for entertainment. Accordingly, Oyakuen still contains buildings devoted to Japanese tea. Visitors can enjoy a cup of herbal tea here even today.

The World Glassware Hall
Hot Springs

Tokusa Onsen

Tokusa Onsen derives its name from the tokusa (common horsetail plant) which is abundant in the region. It was discovered as a hot spring source approximately 1000 years ago, and has long been known as "Aizu's hidden hot spring". In the public stone outdoor bath, where the hot spring rises directly from the riverbed, you can heal your heart and body while listening to the soft murmuring of the clear stream, which has been unchanged for ages. There are more than 16 ryokan inns and pensions dispersed throughout the Tokusa Onsen region, and it is widely known as the "hamlet of the hidden hot spring". You can take a tip in the stone public bath 24 hours a day, but please be mindful that onsen use is not segregated by gender, nor is it shut off from public view! Not for the faint of heart.

The World Glassware Hall
Museums & Galleries

Showa Nostalgia Museum

The Showa Nostalgia Museum (or 'Natsukashi-kan') is a museum in Aizu-Wakamatsu dedicated to the Showa period of Japanese history, 1926-1989. The museum features goods spanning the period and includes several rooms perfectly recreating the style that would have been common generations ago.The walls are plastered with classic movie posters and the shelves are heaving with old toys and model figurines. There is also a small shop at the front desk selling snacks and small ornaments.

The World Glassware Hall
Nature & Scenery

Lake Hibara

The rock slides caused by the steam eruption of Mt. Bandai in 1888 blocked countless rivers, and lead to the creation of over 300 lakes and ponds spread throughout the area. Lake Hibara is the largest of these lakes, and with a length of 10 km running along the ravine of the Hibara River, and a shoreline of 37 km, it is Japan's largest lake to be created by natural dams caused by a volcano eruption.Lake Hibara is now the focal point of tourism in the Urabandai region, and from rambling along sightseeing trails in summer to Japanese pond smelt fishing in the winter, there are countless ways for visitors to refresh and invigorate themselves. Guides are available with a reservation.

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Shibuki-gori (Naturally-forming ice sculptures)
Nature & Scenery

Shibuki-gori (Naturally-forming ice sculptures)

If you head to Tenjinhama beach on Lake Inawashiro in the depths of winter, through the trees at its south towards the mouth of the Nagase river, you will see the "shibuki-gori" natural ice sculptures. Lake water is picked up by strong winds from the west, and meets the trees on the coastline. There it creates a very unusual phenomenon with a beauty that rivals the "juhyo" (ice-covered trees) seen at the tops of mountains. Local peoples and visitors alike never tire of these sights. You can also see other shapes formed by ice here, such as ice drifts and the prominent "Omiwatari" cracked, rising ice on the beach and lake surface. Please note that Shibuki-gori are natural ice sculptures, and therefore their appearance and size change by the day. Please check before visiting.

The Great Gingko Tree of Akai
Nature & Scenery

The Great Gingko Tree of Akai

Standing 95 feet tall and nearly 100 feet wide, the Great Gingko Tree of Akai looms above a small neighbourhood to the west of the great lake at Inawashiro. At over 650 years old, this is one of Japan's oldest gingko trees and an iconic symbol of the area for many local people.In particular, the tree is most impressive in autumn, when its changing leaves become a vibrant yellow that can be seen for miles around.The best time to see the great tree is early to mid-November, which is also when the tree is illuminated in the evening. Although there is no official car park, there is plenty of open space in which to park.

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