Lakes in Japan

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

Lake Shinji

Lake Shinji

SHIMANE · PLACE

Japan's seventh largest lake is a Ramsar-protected wetland famous for its unique brackish water...

Lake Showa

Lake Showa

A vibrant emerald green crater lake formed by a 1944 steam explosion, located near the summit of...

Lake Sohara

Lake Sohara

FUKUSHIMA · PLACE

A small, serene lake in Bandai-Asahi National Park formed by the 1888 eruption of Mount Bandai.

Hyakken Tsutsumi Reservoir

Hyakken Tsutsumi Reservoir

A historic agricultural reservoir in Ichinoseki recognized as one of Japan's top 100 for its sca...

Lake Sai

Lake Sai

YAMANASHI · PLACE

A deep volcanic lake and UNESCO site formed by Mount Fuji, featuring rare trout and the adjacent...

Lake Matsubara

Lake Matsubara

NAGANO · PLACE

A collection of three natural lakes in Nagano offering ice fishing, historic shrines, and scenic...

Matsukawa Lagoon

Matsukawa Lagoon

FUKUSHIMA · PLACE

A scenic seven-kilometer lagoon and prefectural natural park separated from the Pacific Ocean by...

Lake Onnetō

Lake Onnetō

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A brackish lagoon in Nemuro offering birdwatching, ancient shell mounds, and views recognized as...

Sakurayama Chosuichi

Sakurayama Chosuichi

HYōGO · PLACE

This large industrial reservoir features a scenic park, a science museum, and an observatory des...

Lake Bushū

Lake Bushū

A scenic eleven-hectare lake formed by a mountain collapse in 1590, now powering a local hydroel...

Lake Ezu

Lake Ezu

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A scenic river expansion lake in Kumamoto City featuring year-round spring water, rare algae, an...

Kahokugata Lagoon

Kahokugata Lagoon

ISHIKAWA · PLACE

Ishikawa's largest lake is a former saltwater lagoon now used for large-scale farming, dairy, an...

Lake Dōtei

Lake Dōtei

An artificial reservoir in Chiba Prefectural Kujukuri Natural Park featuring a historic stone mo...

Tsugaru Fujimi Lake

Tsugaru Fujimi Lake

AOMORI · PLACE

A historic reservoir in Aomori featuring Japan's longest embankment and a stunning 300-meter woo...

Ebigaike

Ebigaike

TOKUSHIMA · PLACE

The largest natural lake in Tokushima, formed by a 1609 earthquake, offering scenic walking trai...

Hinuma

Hinuma

IBARAKI · PLACE

A Ramsar-protected brackish lake in Ibaraki known for its diverse birdlife, rare damselflies, an...

Lake Yunoko

Lake Yunoko

TOCHIGI · PLACE

A high-altitude lake formed by volcanic activity, offering a scenic hiking trail and a dramatic...

Katanuma

Katanuma

MIYAGI · PLACE

A highly acidic volcanic lake in Kurikoma Quasi-National Park known for its shifting emerald and...

Lake Shikaribetsu

Lake Shikaribetsu

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A high-altitude volcanic lake in Daisetsuzan National Park famous for its winter ice village and...

Lake Ushiku

Lake Ushiku

IBARAKI · PLACE

A shallow lake in Ibaraki known as the birthplace of unadon, featuring migratory swans and a sce...

Daisen Pond

Daisen Pond

TOTTORI · PLACE

A scenic reservoir in Tottori offering mountain views, seasonal flowers, and outdoor activities...

Lake Gyokusen

Lake Gyokusen

ISHIKAWA · PLACE

A scenic man-made lake in Kanazawa's Yuwaku Hot Spring area featuring a traditional ice house an...

Lake Shirachi

Lake Shirachi

NAGASAKI · PLACE

Nagasaki's only natural lake, formed by a 1792 landslide, offers a quiet walk through a unique g...

Lake Shirakaba

Lake Shirakaba

NAGANO · PLACE

A high-altitude artificial reservoir in Nagano offering year-round outdoor recreation, from boat...

Hakuryu Lake

Hakuryu Lake

YAMAGATA · PLACE

A shallow remnant of an ancient basin lake surrounded by wetlands and grape orchards in Yamagata...

Hakuba Ōike

Hakuba Ōike

NAGANO · PLACE

A high-altitude volcanic lake in the Northern Alps known for its clear waters, alpine flora, and...

Sanuma Lake

Sanuma Lake

IBARAKI · PLACE

A scenic agricultural reservoir and park in Ibaraki featuring seasonal flowers and a unique Y-sh...

Lake Kagurame

Lake Kagurame

A scenic mountain lake in Aso Kuju National Park famous for its massive iris garden and Heian pe...

Lake Fukugami

Lake Fukugami

OKINAWA · PLACE

Okinawa's largest man-made lake, formed by the Fukuji Dam, offers a unique ecosystem of rare loc...

Lake Hodaka

Lake Hodaka

HYōGO · PLACE

An artificial mountain lake 650 meters high, offering hiking trails and canoeing within the scen...

Lake Misuzu

Lake Misuzu

NAGANO · PLACE

A historic man-made reservoir in Matsumoto offering scenic walking trails, fishing, and a profes...

Ogase Pond

Ogase Pond

A historic irrigation reservoir featuring a central shrine hall, seasonal flowers, and a vibrant...

Arakawa No. 1 Retention Basin

Arakawa No. 1 Retention Basin

SAITAMA · PLACE

A massive flood control basin and reservoir featuring Lake Saiko, sports facilities, and a major...

Lake Tateshina

Lake Tateshina

NAGANO · PLACE

A high-altitude artificial lake in Chino City offering scenic forest views, boat rentals, and a...

Fujieda Reservoir

Fujieda Reservoir

AOMORI · PLACE

A historic Edo-period reservoir and park in Aomori famous for its floating bridge and thousands...

Chinoike

Chinoike

TOYAMA · PLACE

A volcanic wetland featuring small pools with reddish water colored by iron oxide, known as the...

Lake Miyuki

Lake Miyuki

SAITAMA · PLACE

A five-kilometer regulating reservoir and park featuring a massive fountain, canoe courses, and...

Lake Sai

Lake Sai

TOCHIGI · PLACE

A secluded lake in Nikko National Park offering a quiet escape into a protected Ramsar wetland s...

Lake Toyoni

Lake Toyoni

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A natural heart-shaped lake in a Hokkaido national park, famous for its unique shape and surroun...

Kisakata

Kisakata

A former lagoon where sixty islands now sit in rice fields, famously visited by the poet Matsuo...

Lake Takkobu

Lake Takkobu

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A freshwater lagoon in Kushiro Shitsugen National Park offering outdoor activities like canoeing...

Lake Ōchi

Lake Ōchi

ISHIKAWA · PLACE

A shallow freshwater lagoon in Ishikawa Prefecture known for migratory bird watching and extensi...

Lake Kamakita

Lake Kamakita

SAITAMA · PLACE

A scenic reservoir in Saitama offering seasonal nature views, fishing, and boating within the Pr...

Aso Inland Sea

Aso Inland Sea

A 500-hectare landlocked lagoon separated from the outer bay by the famous Amanohashidate sandba...

Lake Shinsei

Lake Shinsei

KANAGAWA · PLACE

A scenic lake formed by the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, featuring a shrine and a historic drum...

Lake Reisenji

Lake Reisenji

NAGANO · PLACE

An artificial lake in Nagano offering year-round recreation including winter ice fishing and a l...

Lake Unagi

Lake Unagi

KAGOSHIMA · PLACE

A circular crater lake in Ibusuki featuring a hot spring village where residents use volcanic st...

Lake Chūzenji

Lake Chūzenji

TOCHIGI · PLACE

Japan's highest natural lake offers historic international villas and scenic views within the mo...

Lake Mashū

Lake Mashū

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A deep caldera lake in Hokkaido famous for its extreme water clarity, frequent fog, and dramatic...

Lake Towada

Lake Towada

A deep double caldera lake and national park offering scenic boat tours and a historic shrine on...

Lake Shikotsu

Lake Shikotsu

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A deep caldera lake in Hokkaido known for its exceptional water clarity and surrounding active v...

Lake Yamanaka

Lake Yamanaka

YAMANASHI · PLACE

The largest and highest of the Fuji Five Lakes, offering World Heritage status and scenic views...

Lake Suwa

Lake Suwa

NAGANO · PLACE

Nagano's largest lake offers a historic tectonic landscape famous for winter ice ridges, summer...

Lake Motosu

Lake Motosu

YAMANASHI · PLACE

The deepest of the Fuji Five Lakes, famous for its appearance on the back of the 1,000 yen bankn...

Lake Tōya

Lake Tōya

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

A massive circular caldera lake in a UNESCO Global Geopark featuring central islands and a deep...

Lake Saroma

Lake Saroma

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

Japan's largest brackish lake offers vast coastal views, unique seasonal flora, and famous local...

Lake Kussharo

Lake Kussharo

HOKKAIDō · PLACE

Japan's largest caldera lake offers natural hot springs and wintering whooper swans within the s...

Hachirōgata

Hachirōgata

A former massive brackish lake transformed into a freshwater body and agricultural village throu...

Lake Sotonasakaura

Lake Sotonasakaura

IBARAKI · PLACE

A six square kilometer freshwater lake in Ibaraki Prefecture offering traditional sightseeing bo...

Lake Ichinomegata

Lake Ichinomegata

A rare volcanic explosion crater lake and National Natural Monument offering unique geological i...

Lakes by prefecture, written up

Other types

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