Lake Tazawa

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For the town in Akita Prefecture, see Tazawako, Akita.

Lake Tazawa (田沢湖 Tazawa-ko) is a caldera lake in Akita Prefecture, northern Japan. It is the deepest lake in Japan (the maximum depth is 423.0 m). Because of its depth, it never freezes.

Formerly the lake boasted very high transparency, which could be compared to Lake Mashu in Hokkaido. It was polluted due to the construction of a hydroelectric dam in 1940 and acid drainage from a hot spring (onsen). As a result, the indigenous fish kunimasu (oncorhynchus nerka kawamurae) became extinct.

Tazawako town was named after the lake. JR East maintains the Tazawako Line, and once the limited express Tazawa ran from Morioka to Akita. It was replaced by the Akita Shinkansen Komachi in 1997. A large and well-know hot springs resort area is located in the hills above the lake as well as Akita Prefecture's largest ski resort.