Lakes in Japan

Hand-picked Lakes across Japan, with what to see and how to get there.

Lake Ogawara

Lake Ogawara

AOMORI · PLACE

Japan's eleventh largest lake is a protected wetland in Aomori famous for its abundant fisheries...

Kujūku Islands

Kujūku Islands

NAGASAKI · PLACE

A national park featuring 208 islands along the Kitamatsuura Peninsula, recognized as one of the...

Lake Usori

Lake Usori

AOMORI · PLACE

A volcanic caldera lake within a sacred mountain site, known for its acidic waters and unique sp...

Nakaumi

Nakaumi

TOTTORI · PLACE

Japan's fifth largest lake is a brackish lagoon and Ramsar wetland site famous for migratory bir...

Lake Kasumigaura

Lake Kasumigaura

IBARAKI · PLACE

Japan's second largest lake offers traditional sail fishing boats and a designated national cycl...

Murayama Reservoir

Murayama Reservoir

Tokyo's largest lake and a historic civil engineering site featuring a 1927 dam and scenic views...

Ōnuma

Ōnuma

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A scenic quasi-national park featuring a large dammed lake with 120 islands formed by volcanic e...

Otori Pond

Otori Pond

YAMAGATA · PLACE

A high-altitude dammed lake in Yamagata famous for beech forests and the legend of a giant prehi...

Lake Shōji

Lake Shōji

YAMANASHI · PLACE

The smallest of the Fuji Five Lakes, offering a peaceful UNESCO-listed natural setting formed by...

Lake Aoki

Lake Aoki

NAGANO · PLACE

A deep, high-altitude lake in Nagano formed by a landslide, known for its clear water and cinema...

Lake Suzuran

Lake Suzuran

NAGANO · PLACE

An artificial lake and dam in Nagano offering scenic views within Hijiriyama Kogen Prefectural P...

Lake Jūsan

Lake Jūsan

AOMORI · PLACE

A shallow brackish lake on the Tsugaru Peninsula famous for its migratory swans, historic ruins,...

Namako Pond

Namako Pond

KAGOSHIMA · PLACE

A deep coastal lagoon on Kamikoshiki Island separated from the sea by a scenic two-kilometer gra...

Lake Utonai

Lake Utonai

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A protected freshwater lake and bird sanctuary in Hokkaido, famous for migratory swans and diver...

Lake Okotanpe

Lake Okotanpe

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

One of Hokkaido's three major hidden lakes, this volcanic body of water offers scenic views from...

Lake Komuke

Lake Komuke

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

Lake Komuke is a significant wetland in Hokkaido, known for its diverse birdlife and natural bea...

Lake Chomato

Lake Chomato

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A sacred Ainu marsh in Obihiro known for its tragic battle legend and a memorial monument for fa...

Lake Panketō

Lake Panketō

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A protected freshwater lake in Hokkaido's primary forest, formed by volcanic activity and known...

Panke-numa

Panke-numa

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A circular brackish lake in Hokkaido's Sarobetsu Plain, offering bird watching and views of a pr...

Lake Penketō

Lake Penketō

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A protected freshwater lake in Hokkaido's Akan-Mashu National Park, famous for its heart-like sh...

Mikurigaike

Mikurigaike

TOYAMA · PLACE

A high-altitude volcanic crater lake in the Northern Alps known for its deep blue water and surr...

Midorigaike

Midorigaike

TOYAMA · PLACE

A transparent crater lake in Tateyama Murodo surrounded by alpine plants and steeped in legends...

Rindō Pond

Rindō Pond

TOYAMA · PLACE

A high-altitude crater lake in Toyama offering alpine flowers and ptarmigan sightings along a sc...

Lake Ippeki

Lake Ippeki

SHIZUOKA · PLACE

A gourd-shaped volcanic crater lake in Ito City known for its scenic islands, literary monuments...

Lake Mangokuura

Lake Mangokuura

MIYAGI · PLACE

A scenic inland sea and protected wetland famous for oyster farming, Jomon period ruins, and a h...

Lake Mishima

Lake Mishima

A historic 13th-century irrigation reservoir in Shiga known for its diverse wildlife, fireflies,...

Nakazato Warm Water Pond

Nakazato Warm Water Pond

SHIZUOKA · PLACE

A scenic agricultural reservoir and Izu Peninsula Geopark site designed to warm spring water for...

Kumihama Bay

Kumihama Bay

A scenic brackish lagoon in San'in Kaigan National Park featuring a long sandbar, oyster farms,...

Goshiki Pond

Goshiki Pond

TOCHIGI · PLACE

A high-altitude dammed lake in the Nikko-Shirane area famous for water that shifts between five...

Goshiki-numa

Goshiki-numa

FUKUSHIMA · PLACE

A vibrant crater lake known as the Witch's Eye, offering shifting water colors viewed from the s...

Izunuma

Izunuma

MIYAGI · PLACE

A protected Ramsar wetland in Miyagi famous for massive winter bird migrations and expansive sum...

Lake Sanaru

Lake Sanaru

SHIZUOKA · PLACE

A natural lake and park in Hamamatsu offering scenic walking paths, seasonal cherry blossoms, an...

Lake Yogo

Lake Yogo

A calm fault lake north of Lake Biwa known for its mirror-like reflections, winter fishing, and...

Lake Kojima

Lake Kojima

OKAYAMA · PLACE

An expansive artificial lake in Okayama known as the world's second largest man-made lake create...

Hakkao-ko

Hakkao-ko

A historic artificial lake in Chiba featuring a scenic perimeter of cherry trees and a registere...

Rokkannon Miike

Rokkannon Miike

MIYAZAKI · PLACE

A volcanic crater lake in the Ebino Plateau featuring a historic temple, giant cedars, and acidi...

Lake Kamo

Lake Kamo

NIIGATA · PLACE

This brackish lake in Sado City is the largest on any Japanese remote island and features active...

Lake Kitagata

Lake Kitagata

A scenic wetland lake on the Fukui-Ishikawa border offering seasonal iris gardens, cycling paths...

Lake Senba

Lake Senba

IBARAKI · PLACE

A gourd-shaped freshwater lake in Mito serving as a scenic wetland habitat and a historic moat f...

Lake Inawashiro

Lake Inawashiro

FUKUSHIMA · PLACE

Japan's fourth largest lake is a scenic national park site known for its migratory birds and his...

Haraichi Swamp

Haraichi Swamp

SAITAMA · PLACE

A restored wetland sanctuary featuring ancient lotus flowers and diverse wild bird populations m...

Lake Tōro

Lake Tōro

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

The largest freshwater lake in Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, famous for its rare marimo algae...

Sakainosawa Tameike

Sakainosawa Tameike

AOMORI · PLACE

A historic irrigation pond in Goshogawara recognized by the government for its scenic walking pa...

Tatara-numa

Tatara-numa

A large Gunma marshland and Japan Heritage site famous for wintering tundra swans and a long wis...

Okirihata Pond

Okirihata Pond

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A historic agricultural reservoir in Kumamoto recognized as a top national site, currently under...

Taishō-ike

Taishō-ike

NAGANO · PLACE

A scenic mountain pond formed by a 1915 volcanic eruption, featuring standing dead trees and vie...

Lake Ōnuma

Lake Ōnuma

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A coastal lagoon in northern Hokkaido serving as a major migration stop for tundra swans and a w...

Ono

Ono

A high-altitude crater lake on Mount Akagi featuring a historic shrine and popular winter ice fi...

Ōnami Pond

Ōnami Pond

KAGOSHIMA · PLACE

A high-altitude crater lake in Kirishima offering a scenic hiking trail and a perimeter path thr...

Ōsagami Reservoir

Ōsagami Reservoir

SAITAMA · PLACE

A massive 40-hectare flood control reservoir and recreational lake that protects the surrounding...

Lake Miyazawa

Lake Miyazawa

SAITAMA · PLACE

An artificial lake in Saitama featuring a Moomin-themed park, Nordic village, and hot spring fac...

Lake Onogawa

Lake Onogawa

FUKUSHIMA · PLACE

A scenic lake in Bandai-Asahi National Park formed by a volcanic eruption, offering seasonal fis...

Ozenuma

Ozenuma

A high-altitude volcanic lake in Oze National Park offering scenic wetland hiking and a protecte...

Yamaguchi Reservoir

Yamaguchi Reservoir

SAITAMA · PLACE

An artificial lake known as Sayama Lake, offering historic civil engineering and scenic views wi...

Koi Service Reservoir

Koi Service Reservoir

HIROSHIMA · PLACE

A 1935 water facility in Hiroshima featuring a reinforced concrete pump room that survived the a...

Lake Tokiwa

Lake Tokiwa

YAMAGUCHI · PLACE

A historic freshwater reservoir and World Irrigation Heritage site surrounded by a large public...

Benten Numa

Benten Numa

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A 34-hectare lake in Tomakomai serving as a vital breeding ground for endangered birds and a hab...

Okama

Okama

MIYAGI · PLACE

A vibrant volcanic crater lake on Mount Zao known for its shifting colors and dramatic high-alti...

Aichi Pond

Aichi Pond

A large reservoir and rowing venue offering a seven-kilometer walking path and scenic views from...

Lake Hamana

Lake Hamana

SHIZUOKA · PLACE

A vast brackish lake in Shizuoka famous for its unique history, eel farming, and scenic hot spri...

Lakes by prefecture, written up

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