Tohoku Tabi: Lake Towada, Yasumiya (Lake Towada Area Guide (Part 2/4)
Lake Towada is a double caldera lake sitting on the border between Aomori and Akita prefectures. It is the twelfth deepest lake in Japan and offers scenic mountainous views of crystal-clear waters.
Lake Towada is also part of the larger Towada area which is home to the Oirase River and the charming and arty downtown area.
In this part 2 of AliのTabi’s guide to the Lake Towada area, I’ll introduce Yasumiya town which is located along the western inner shores of Lake Towada. Yasumiya is a quiet, remote tourist town that encourages you to slowly take in the beauty of the lake.
Due to it’s remoteness, most shops and restaurants close up shop around 5:00 pm everyday once the day trippers head home. You’ll be hard pressed to even find an izakaya within walking distance.
But don’t let the idea of an after hours ghost town be a turn off to you. This slow, country living creates a perfect opportunity for you to stay overnight and relax at one of the accommodations in town. You can really treat yo’self at one of the lavish ryokans in town or you can enjoy a homey atmosphere at a hostel (which is what I did!) that is staffed by the sweetest Japanese old folks.
Whether you decide to day-trip or stay overnight in Yasumiya, it is still a worthwhile venture to experience this piece of northern Honshu. Lake Towada is a rippling gem in the Tohoku region – go see for yourself a part of deep Japan and take in its breathtaking beauty slowly along the shores.
Lake Towada Travel Guide
Get There
Get Around
Do
Eat
Stay
Get There
To access Lake Towada and the lakeside town of Yasumiya by public transportation, take a JR bus from either JR Hachinohe station (八戸駅), JR Aomori station (青森駅) or JR Shin-Aomori station (新青森駅).
It takes about 2 hours by bus from JR Hachinohe station to arrive at Yasumiya and about 3 hours from JR Aomori or Shin-Aomori station.
If you have the JR Rail Pass or the JR East Pass for Tohoku, bus fare to and from Lake Towada are covered. If you do not have either of the passes, it will cost ¥2670 one way from JR Hachinohe station and ¥3090 one way from JR Aomori station.
I’ve written up a detailed transportation guide in part 1 of this 4 part Lake Towada series. The post includes bus schedules to and from JR Hachinohe station, bus fares, and a guide on how to use the economical 2 Day Lake Towada Area Bus Pass which is useful if you don’t have the JR Rail Pass or JR East pass.
Get Around
Yasumiya is a sleepy, small town that is easily explored on foot. You could walk from end to end on the lake shore in about 30 minutes.
Without a car, exploring outside of Yasumiya, and the other lakeside areas of Lake Towada is difficult.
Prior to arriving at Yasumiya, I had thought hiking within the vicinity and wanted to explore the different shores of Lake Towada. I mean, it’s a lake, so I thought there must be quite a few hiking paths in the area!
The first thing I did upon arriving was excitedly jump off the bus and head straight to the tourist information center to ask for hiking maps. However, the tourist information ladies looked at me like I was a madman when I asked what sort of hiking routes were available from Yasumiya town. They told me that it is near impossible to hike the circumference of Lake Towada as I’d be climbing through endless mountain peaks that were better suited for cars to quickly speed through. When I asked if it was possible to bike between each mountain peak, the ladies made sure to strongly caution me against it as many of the shops would only rent out “mama-chari,” single gear bikes meant for zipping along the flat parts of the lakeside in Yasumiya. Not for biking up mountains.
I was a bit dejected when I found out hiking around Lake Towada would be nearly impossible, and that I wouldn’t be able to see any of the other views and perspectives of Lake Towada.
However, I was glad I found out early that it would be relatively impossible to explore the circumference of Lake Towada without a car because it allowed me to plan my time to relax more and explore other areas more accessible on foot or bus. It also made sense to me the more I thought about it because the lack of development and trail-blazing has left Lake Towada relatively unsoiled and untouched in most areas – leaving a pristine crater lake.
Perhaps a more daring traveler would have taken their warnings as a challenge to overcome, but that just ain’t me! So, in lieu of the hardcore hiking that I thought I’d be doing while in Yasumiya, I managed to do forest strolls that would have passed for some semblance of hiking.
Do
Towada Shrine
Walking the path to Towada Shrine and exploring the area around it, satisfied some of my hankering for hiking.
From the lake shore, the cedar-lined path towards Towada Shrine passes by six temples that are said to grant good fortune.
The six temples that you pass by en route to Towada Shrine include: the fire god, wind god, money god, mountain god, the heavenly rock cave which is where one of the original gods of Japanese mythology, Amaterasu Omikami is said to have hidden in, and the final temple is where Amaterasu Omikami is said to be housed within a sacred rock.
The main temple at Lake Towada now houses Yamato Takeru no Mikoto who was an ancient legendary prince. Before him, the shrine worshiped a local dragon god. Dragons are prominently featured in a lot of the mythology in the Towada area. It is said that a dragon-sized serpent named Hachinotaro once spent its days lying at the bottom of the lake till a man named Nansonobo came to challenge him in battle. Nansonobo was victorious and eventually became the new guardian of Lake Towada after subduing the dragon serpent.
Otome no Zo, Bronze Maiden Statues
Walking alongside the lake to the east of the bus depot, you’ll find a wooden-plank lined walking path that takes you along a scenic lakeside route to the Bronze Maiden Statues, an iconic image that is often associated with Lake Towada.
The Bronze Maiden Statutes were created by sculpture Kotaro Takamura who is said to have modeled the women after wife who was said to have suffered from schizophrenia. Takamura, viewing his wife and viewing the lake, was said to be inspired by the duality of existence and seeing that both his wife and the lake seemed to hold separate lives.
Sightseeing Cruise
While gazing at the lake from the shore is a perfect way to spend your time at Lake Towada, getting a view from a sightseeing cruise allows you to see different perspectives of the vast lake.
I usually err on the side of not taking sightseeing cruises as they mostly end up being expensive tourist traps. While the sightseeing cruise around Lake Towada was not the cheapest deal, ¥1400 four an hour long cruise, I was glad I went on the cruise because you get to see amazing geological features that are only visible from the lake.
Lake Towada is an ancient caldera lake features mountain ranges in different states of age. From the cruise, you’ll see red slate facades, jagged walls of granite all peppered with virgin trees. If you have the time and the weather is nice, get yourself on that boat and enjoy the views!
Lounge by the lakeside
I wanted to take a dip into the lake as soon as I saw the waters from the shore. However, no one was hanging out lakeside in their swimsuit. Nobody was frolicking around in the cool, clear waters.
At first it baffled me. It was the dead of a record breaking summer in Japan and nobody was in the water? I can’t tell you exactly why no one dipping in the lake. I did some research and some folks online said it may be prohibited at Lake Towada, due to its depth, or it could be that it is not common in Japan to sun bathe in public.
To be honest, I was very self-conscious at first as I wanted to swim and lazily tan the day away. After an hour debating whether I should or shouldn’t, I changed into my swim suit, tanned and waded a bit in the water. I didn’t swim far into the lake, but wading around was a perfect antidote to a hot day.
For me, you’re at a lake! Tan if you want to. Swim cautiously. Just be lazy and enjoy yourself!
Eat
Himemasu, Kokanee Salmon
Himemasu (hi-mey-mas-su ひめます) is a species of kokanee salmon that is a specialty ingredient from Lake Towada. Long ago, there were no fish species that were native to the fresh waters of Lake Towada. However, a coal miner named Sadayuki Waina wanted to farm fish in the large lake and began to introduce several different species into the lake in hopes that they would start breeding. The kapa cheppo variety of salmon from Hokkaido successfully began breeding in the lake which evolved into the modern day, himemasu.
Thhere are several ways that himemasu is prepared. You can try it raw as sashimi, filleted and fried, or grilled. To try it in it’s most natural way, find a restaurant that will serve it to you shioyaki (塩焼き) style. Shioyaki features a salt-crusted and grilled himemasu which allows you to taste the meaty texture and whole salmon flavor of the fish.
While I was just about to enjoy my shioyaki himemasu, a pair of older gentlemen saw me taking about a dozen photos of my meal. I looked over and told that it looks super tasty, to which they replied: “It is! Start eating!” You should definitely snap a photo, but eat your himemasu quickly as they said, it’s a crime to leave such delicious fish waiting!
Barayaki, grilled beef hot plate
Barayaki has been touted as the soul food of the Towada area. It is simple in its components – grilled beef and onions fried up in a sticky sweet soy sauce – but irresistible in taste.
Many of the great and iconic foods in the world feature some version of carb and meat to which barayaki could join the ranks of. Eating the luscious thinly sliced beef between bites of piping hot rice is a luxurious every-man experience.
I was able to try barayaki at my hostel which served dinner every night. Try to see if your accommodation serves it as well!
Towada Homemade Apple Pie
Aomori prefecture is famous for apples. So when in Aomori, try to eat as many apple dishes as possible! Except… when it’s summer time and apples aren’t in season.
If fresh apples are not in season, the next best thing to eat are preserved apple dishes. Juices, jams, and of course, desserts.
The Towada area is famous for a unique take on apple pie that makes apple the star of the show. If you are used to eating American-style apple pies that are flavored with cinnamon-y apple pie spices, you will be surpised when you eat the Towadan version.
Spices are absent from Towada apple pie as the aim is to taste the deliciousness of the apple itself. Apples are also cut into extremely large chunks so as to mimic the mouthfeel of eating fresh sliced apples.
The apple pie at Marine Blue is delicious and full-on in it’s apple-ness. While I prefer spices in my apple pie, check out Marine Blue for a natural take on pie and for the ambiance. You can eat right by the lake on an outdoor deck.
Stay
Towadako Backpackers (Budget Friendly)
When I went to Lake Towada, I stayed at Towadako Backpackers, a five minute walk from the JR bus depot in Yasumiya town.
Towadako Backpackers is a fantastic deal to use a base to explore the Towada area. During the low season (which is summer, surprisingly) there is a high chance you’ll be the only person in your dorm room, as I was! For 3 nights, I paid hostel prices for total privacy.
The atmosphere for Towadako Backpackers is undeniably backpacker-esque. There are large rooms where beds are crammed in, there are a smattering of visitors from different countries, and there are the usual suspects of shared facilities.
However, what makes Towadako Backpackers a prime choice for a budget friendly accommodation is the price and staff. It is only ¥2200 per night for a bed in a dorm which also includes breakfast and dinner. The half board special is a steal as the dinners are delicious and come in large portions, and the breakfast is a serviceable continental style with cereal and toast.
The staff really shine at Towadako Backpackers. It is run by a group of eldery Japanese folks who don’t speak much English, but provide a warm homey atmosphere. It’s like going to grandma’s house and you know she’s going to take care of you.
Towadako Backpackers is also really close to Hotel Towadaso, a luxury ryokan, where you can use their fantastic onsen for ¥500. Of course, there is a shower at Towadako Backpackers but with a premium onsen less than a five minute walk away, I chose to go to the onsen every night.
Next up, I’ll be introducing the Oirase River area which is about a 30 minute drive from Yasumiya. The Oirase River is one of the most fantastic sights I’ve ever visited in Japan and it makes a great day trip from Yasumiya!
