[Lake Inawashiro Travel Guide] Enjoy Grand Natural Scenery Woven by the Lake and Mountains

The charm of spring at Lake Inawashiro is the scenery where you can enjoy cherry blossoms, Mount Bandai, and the lake all at once, with cherry blossoms being one of Japan’s most iconic symbols.
The view from around Funatsu Park on the lakeshore is truly beautiful.
Although there are not many cherry trees, you can still fully enjoy a distinctly Japanese atmosphere.
Around Lake Inawashiro, the cherry blossom-lined path along Kannonjigawa River is especially spectacular.
Somei Yoshino and weeping cherry trees bloom across an area of about 1 km, creating a tunnel of blossoms.
There is a special elegance to viewing the cherry blossoms while listening to the gentle murmur of the Kannonjigawa River.
The best time to see the blossoms is said to be from late April to early May.

In summer, Lake Inawashiro offers lake swimming, marine sports, camping, and more.
It’s the perfect season for those who want to stay active and have fun.
Lake Inawashiro has several sandy beaches, and lake swimming is a classic summer activity here.
Unlike swimming in the sea, one of its popular points is that your skin does not feel sticky afterward.
The lakeshore around Lake Inawashiro is also well-equipped with campgrounds, and some areas do not require reservations.
Enjoying activities during the day while taking in the changing 모습 of Lake Inawashiro throughout the day is one of its major attractions.

Lake Inawashiro in autumn is also wonderful, when the fall leaves turn fiery shades of red and orange.
The visual impact is striking, and if you want to see grand natural scenery, this is a great season to visit.
Amid the scenic beauty, there is also a sense of strength in the landscape.
Near Lake Inawashiro, about 10 minutes away by car, is Hanishina Shrine, a famous spot for autumn leaves.
The contrast between the foliage spreading out like a carpet of color and the blue sky is so beautiful it can leave you speechless.
The best time to enjoy the fall colors is said to be from late October to mid-November.
If you plan to visit Lake Inawashiro in autumn, this is the season to aim for.

In winter, around 3,000 swans come to Lake Inawashiro from Siberia.
These migrating swans are designated as a National Natural Monument, giving you a chance to see a truly precious sight.
Swans gathering on the lake surface glowing at dusk create a dreamy scene and a perfect photo opportunity.
Please try taking photos while being careful not to startle the swans.
The swans begin arriving around December, with numbers peaking around February.
Splash ice is also famous at Lake Inawashiro in winter.
It forms when wave spray blown by strong winds freezes onto trees, and its unusual appearance is truly captivating.
Splash ice is a very rare phenomenon in Japan, so be sure not to miss it.

Hideyo Noguchi (1876–1928), born on the shores of Lake Inawashiro, was a bacteriologist known worldwide for his research on yellow fever and syphilis.
The Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum, opened in 1939 to honor his achievements, consists of his former home and an exhibition hall. The exhibition hall uses many photographs, his personal belongings, robots, and more to clearly introduce his life and research. Interactive games that let families have fun while learning about his achievements are also popular.

Japan’s first mountain road, running about 29 km through the Azuma mountain range, with a highest elevation of 1,622 meters and an average elevation of 1,350 meters. The barren area where volcanic gas erupts and no plants grow has gained attention on social media for its scenery unlike anywhere else in Japan.
From just after the road opens in early April until around Golden Week, you can enjoy driving through the “snow corridor,” where walls of snow rise on both sides of the road, while autumn brings stunning fall foliage and other seasonal scenery.

Formed by a steam explosion that occurred in 1888, creating hundreds of ponds and lakes.
Among them, the collective name “Goshikinuma Ponds” refers to around 30 ponds and lakes of various sizes, including Bishamon-numa, Aka-numa, Midoro-numa, Ryu-numa, and Benten-numa.
In 2016, it was awarded one star in the Michelin Green Guide.

One of Japan’s largest specialty glass galleries, exhibiting glass products from across Japan and around the world, with about 25,000 items in total.
With a wide selection including directly imported products from many countries, original accessories, antiques, and decorative items, it fully conveys the appeal of glassware.

The former villa, completed in August 1908, was built after Prince Arisugawa Takehito was captivated by the beauty of the Lake Inawashiro shore during his travels in the Tohoku region.
It is said to have been named “Tenkyo-kaku” the following September, when Crown Prince Yoshihito (later Emperor Taisho) visited, after the phrase “Meiko Rakutenkyo” from a poem by Li Bai.

A popular sweets and coffee shop standing by the shore of Lake Inawashiro.
The spacious interior and large windows overlook the lake, offering beautiful seasonal views, while the open terrace is especially popular in summer.
The menu is extensive, with chiffon cake, cheesecake, honey waffles served with seasonal fruit and vanilla ice cream, and more.

A specialty shop for domestic basashi run by Niku no Okubo, a long-established butcher shop with an 80-year history.
The Aizu region has the second-highest horse meat production in Japan after Kumamoto, and the basashi sold at Okubo Shoten is the highest-grade domestic basashi certified as the Aizu Brand.
The popular standard menu item, the “Aizu Brand Basashi Lunch,” uses the rump cut, known for its flavor and tenderness among thigh cuts.

A handmade soba restaurant named “Iwahashikan” because Mount Bandai, rising north of Lake Inawashiro, is also called “Iwahashi-yama.”
Inawashiro Town is one of eastern Japan’s leading soba-producing areas. There is an archaeological site beneath the restaurant, and past excavations are said to have found traces showing that soba was eaten there long ago.
The soba served in this area, where soba culture has been cultivated for centuries, uses locally produced stone-milled “Inawashiro Amanoka.”
As a binder, the wheat flour “Yukichikara” is used, and the two are blended in an 8-to-2 ratio.

This inn stands along the clear-flowing Yukawa River, and its quiet atmosphere, blending into the surrounding natural forest, truly feels like a beautiful hidden retreat.
The hot spring features a relatively small bath, but it is filled at all times with fresh water from the inn’s own source.
The spring water is a sulfate spring worthy of its fine reputation, and thanks to its rich benefits, it is also known as a bath for beautiful skin and healing wounds.

A ryokan with its own hot spring source in Yumoto, Higashiyama-machi, the inner retreat area of Aizuwakamatsu. Founded in 1924, it is a long-established inn with more than 100 years of history.
Higashiyama Onsen is a hot spring area with about 1,300 years of history, and among its inns, it is rare to find one that offers free-flowing spring water directly from an untouched source.
Within the grounds, surrounded by mountains, flows the natural waterfall “Harataki,” which inspired the inn’s name. From the open-air bath, you can enjoy the view of the waterfall, the sound of the stream, and the pleasant river breeze.

A hot spring inn on a hill at the entrance to Higashiyama Onsen in Aizuwakamatsu City, offering a total capacity of 160 rooms across the Tower Building, Suzakutei, and Main Building. Guest rooms range from high-quality premium types to Japanese-style rooms, Western-style rooms, and special rooms.
Its greatest appeal is without question the two kinds of open-air observation baths overlooking the castle town. Sora no Yu features multiple stepped baths as well as a full range of facilities designed to refresh both body and mind.