Winning National Park Status

Lake Towada's recognition as a national park in 1936 came after decades of effort from local advocates and gradual improvements in access. By 1920, a railway extension reached the lake's vicinity, and bus service soon connected it to the eastern shore at Nenokuchi. In 1927, the lake was nominated among the 'Eight New Views' of Japan in a national competition co-organized by the Railway Ministry. The lake itself sits in an ancient caldera, its remarkably clear water framed by beech forest that turns deep red and gold each autumn. The Oirase Gorge trail leading from the lake is one of Tohoku's most rewarding walks.