[2025 Semboku Attraction] Travel Guide for Gozanoishi jinja Shrine (Updated Apr)

Lake Tazawa is the deepest lake in Japan. This was my first time visiting, and it was even more beautiful than I imagined, and I was mesmerized! There are several spots on the lake, but the blue of Lake Tazawa is particularly vivid in front of Gozaishi Shrine on the north side of the lake, and I couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow!"😆 The gradation, the sparkling lake surface, and the fish swimming there were so amazing that I could stare at them forever◎ The torii gates standing on the lakeside are also picturesque⛩ #Tohoku #TohokuTrip #AkitaPrefecture #Akita #AkitaTourism #SembokuCity #Lake #LakeTazawa #GozaishiShrine #ToriiGate #BreathtakingView

| Lake Tazawa, Akita. Hidden Gem in Japan | Lake Tazawa, Akita Lake Tazawa, a hidden gem in Akita, Japan, is truly breathtakingly beautiful—you won't want to leave! 🏞️Lake and Legend Lake Tazawa is the deepest lake in Japan, reaching a depth of 423 meters, and boasts incredibly high transparency, second only to Lake Mashu in Hokkaido. The color of the lake water is magical, appearing as a light emerald green up close and transforming into a deep, captivating blue from afar, creating a rich sense of depth. Every photo taken here looks like an oil painting. There's also a romantic legend: A village girl named Tatsuko, yearning for eternal beauty, prayed to the Goddess of Mercy. Before finishing drinking all the lake water, she transformed into a dragon and sank to the bottom of the lake. Now, a golden statue of Tatsuko stands by the lake, a symbolic landmark of Lake Tazawa. Under the sunlight, the bronze statue shines brilliantly, a truly awe-inspiring sight. 📸Must-See Spots ✨Gozanoishi Shrine: The vermillion torii gate stands by the lake, creating a stunning contrast with the turquoise lake water and the distant snow-capped mountains. It's a perfect spot for both portraits and landscapes. Especially in the morning or evening, the soft light makes it breathtakingly beautiful. ✨Tazawako Switzerland Village: The village is filled with Swiss-style buildings, white walls, and red roofs, exuding European charm. Strolling here feels like being in a Swiss town. From higher ground, you can overlook Lake Tazawa and the surrounding plateau scenery, offering spectacular views. 🚗Getting There Take the JR Shinkansen from Morioka Station, and you'll reach Tazawako Station in about 40 minutes. The scenery along the way is stunning, a winter wonderland of ice and snow. Upon arrival at Tazawako Station, purchase a one-day sightseeing bus ticket for 1,210 yen, which allows you to easily tour around the lake in about 1.5 hours. The bus stops at major attractions for 15–20 minutes, giving you ample time for photos. 🍱Food Recommendations Don't miss the local cuisine, especially Inaniwa Udon! Thinner than regular udon, it has a firm yet smooth texture, even more refreshing when chilled. Served with dipping sauce, it's incredibly satisfying. Hinai-jidori chicken is another must-try, whether in oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl) or hot pot, it's tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful. 💡Travel Tips If time allows, a two-day, one-night trip is highly recommended. Spend the first day touring around the lake, enjoying the scenery, and stay overnight in Semboku or a nearby onsen town to relax in a hot spring. On the second day, wake up naturally and leisurely explore any spots you missed on the first day before heading to Akita or Tokyo.

📍 Gozanoishi Shrine 御座石神社 (Gozanoishi Jinja) Nestled along the shores of Lake Tazawa in Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, Gozanoishi Shrine is a revered power spot known for its connection to beauty and femininity. ⛩️The striking vermilion torii gate, reflecting on the tranquil waters of the lake, creates a breathtaking scene that captivates visitors. ⛩️Within the shrine grounds, the statue of Princess Tatsuko, the legendary goddess of Lake Tazawa, is enshrined. Many women visit this sacred site to pray for beauty and good fortune. ⛩️With its serene atmosphere and stunning lakeside scenery, Gozanoishi Shrine offers a place for both spiritual rejuvenation and visual delight. ⛩️Take a deep breath of the fresh Lake Tazawa air and experience a truly special moment at this enchanting shrine. #celebrateit

Located on the lakeside north of Lake Tazawa, the Torii gate is facing the direction of Lake Tazawa, which is very beautiful. The shrine's name, Gozaishi, comes from the fact that in 1650, Yoshitaka Satake, the lord of Akita Domain, sat down to rest while touring Lake Tazawa. Next to the red torii gate, there is a tree called the seven-colored tree, from which seven different trees grow. There are seven kinds of trees growing here: pine, cedar, cherry, locust, Japanese alder, wild jasmine, and pear, and you can see this incredible tree. Since the shrine enshrines Tatsuko-hime, who is said to have turned into a dragon god, it is said to have been called the "Dragon Shrine" in the past. Although there is also a statue of Princess Tatsuko in the shrine, it is different from the bronze statue by the lake, and its lower body is a snake. In addition, you can see the Kashiwabe Reispring where Princess Tatsuko turned into a dragon after drinking it, and the mirror stone used for looking in the mirror. Princess Tatsuko turned into a dragon because of her excessive pursuit of beauty. Therefore, Gozaishi Shrine is also known as the "guardian of beauty" and is very popular because it can bless people with beautiful faces. #GlobalTravel

#Travel to Sendai Tohoku #Go to Akita Lake Tazawako #Tazawakolake is beautiful in every season. And there are tourist attractions: 🍁 The statue of a princess named Tatsukohime (The Golden Tatsuko Statue) is located on the shores of Lake Tazawa. It is a scene in the famous Korean series IRIS, making the Tatsuko statue famous and attracting tourists, including us, to follow the series. 🍁 The next stop is Gozanoishi Shrine, which has a Torii gate on the lakeside. Anyone who wants to pray for love can come to this shrine and it will be granted. But I didn't pray. Just have lots of people love and care for us #Transportation: 🚅 Take the train to JR Tazawako Station 🚄 It's only a 10-minute ride from Kakunodate by Komachi Shinkansen or about 20 minutes by JR Tazawako Line. Then walk outside and wait for the Tazawako Circular Bus at stop number 1. If you have good timing, you can also visit Kakunodate and Tsurunoyu Onsen, the milky hot spring of Nyuto Onsen, which is very beautiful during the autumn leaves season. However, if you want to continue, you have to change buses at Tazawako-Han 田沢湖畔発. 📍Address: Google map coordinates https://goo.gl/maps/1RByBdmZuu8Q4XRa6

The contrast between the red torii gate and the cobalt blue of Lake Tazawa is very beautiful at Gozaishi Shrine♡! The lake is so clear that you can see the fish even from above💕 1 Aigatake, Hinokinai, Nishiki-cho, Senboku-shi, Akita 014-0602 I was also able to see an Akita dog at a nearby roadside station! So cute☺️ I also went to Koiwai Farm♡!! The best part was snack time for the sheep💕 The sheep came running at full speed when the bell rang, which was awesome(^^) 36-1 Maruyachi, Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate-gun, Iwate 020-0507 #Travelingwithme

Akita Winter Guide☃️ 1-2. **Gozashi Shrine** This shrine is located on the shore of Lake Tazawa. It's especially beautiful when the torii is covered with snow❄️ 3. **Morikoshi Mountain** You can rent snowshoes and ski poles for free and get up close and personal with snow monsters! 4-5. **Namahage Shibatou Festival** Speaking of Akita, we have to mention 'Namahage（なまはげ）'! This festival is held every February at the Shinzan Shrine in Oga City. It looks like this year's reservations have already started. 6. **Crane's Soup Hot Spring** This is one of Japan's famous hot springs, located in the beautiful mountains of Akita Prefecture. This hot spring is famous for its clear lake spring water and spectacular natural scenery.♨️ 7. **Myonoyu** It is one of the seven hot springs of Nipple Hot Spring, about a 15-minute drive from the previously mentioned Crane's Soup Hot Spring. Although there is a mixed bathing pool, this time we mainly enjoyed the experience of a private hot spring. 8. **Akita Inland Line** It has seven cars, the colors are red, orange, yellow, yellow-green, light blue, dark blue, purple and a lucky color. 9-10. **Wa no I Kakunodate** This is a hotel converted from a historic warehouse. We stayed in the Bushigura (Bushigura) room, where there are various samurai tools that can be touched and felt.

This time, I would like to introduce "Gozaishi Shrine" in Akita Prefecture, which I would like to recommend for your first visit of the year next year. 😌⛩️ Lake Tazawa is a scenic spot that has been selected as one of the 100 most scenic spots in Japan, and is characterized by its cobalt blue lake surface. 🩵 The torii gates facing the lake are particularly distinctive, and the contrast between the red torii gates and the blue lake is spectacular! ! I especially recommend the snow scenery ❄️ The snow-covered torii gates are very fantastic 🥹🥹 Gozaishi Shrine is said to be effective for beauty and matchmaking 😆🌷 Please be sure to visit it ☺️-----------------------------------------------Address: 1 Ainaigata, Hinokinai, Nishiki-cho, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture Opening hours: Free Worship fee: Free #besttrip2023 #Tohoku trip #Winter trip #Akita #Lake Tazawa #First visit to a shrine #Shrine